■ TENNIS
Roddick to skip Olympics
World No. 6 Andy Roddick has decided to miss this year's Olympic Games in Beijing to defend his Washington Open title. Both events take place from Aug. 11 to Aug. 17 and Roddick wants to remain in his home country to help his build-up for the US Open, which begins two weeks later. "My goal every summer is to win the US Open," the 25-year-old US player said in a statement released on Tuesday by Washington Open organizers. "I have won the Legg Mason Tennis Classic three times and feel defending my title in Washington best prepares me for another grand slam title."
■ CRICKET
Harmison and Hoggard axed
England have axed experienced pace bowlers Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard in a bid to save the Test series against New Zealand after their humiliating 189-run first Test loss. Harmison was widely expected to lose his place for the second Test starting here today but the dropping of Hoggard was more of a surprise. James Anderson returns for his 21st Test after getting some match practice last week playing for Auckland in New Zealand's first class cricket. Also back is Stuart Broad, who made his Test debut against Sri Lanka last year. Harmison and Hoggard, with 124 Test caps between them, struggled in the first Test, taking a combined two wickets at the cost of 278 runs.
■ BASEBALL
Selig earning US$14.5m
Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig earned about US$14.5 million in its latest fiscal year, roughly the same as the previous year. Selig received US$14,515,071 in compensation during the 12 months ending Oct. 31, 2006, according to MLB's tax return, which the commissioner's office released on Tuesday. That was up from exactly US$14.5 million in the 12 months that ended Oct. 31, 2005. MLB's contribution to Selig in its benefit plan was US$400,999, up from US$82,843 in the previous fiscal year, and Selig received US$140,603 in expense account and other allowances, an increase from US$20,184. MLB's return did not list compensation for other top officials.
■ FORMULA ONE
FIA to use hybrid technology
Formula One teams will start using hybrid technology next year to help the automotive industry build more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly cars. Max Mosley, the president of world motor racing federation FIA, said at the Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday that F1 will introduce a new kinetic energy recovery system in engines in two years, which is meant to lead to better energy use in regular vehicles. Mosley also launched the FIA's "Make Cars Green" campaign, which calls on the UN to adopt a worldwide target for carbon emissions in passenger cars.
■ SOCCER
Bayern plan Asian tour
Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich have announced plans for a 10-day tour of Asia in May as the German giants look to raise their profile in the region. On May 18, the day after their final Bundesliga game, Bayern will fly to Indonesia to play the national side on May 21 before taking on the Chinese Olympic side on May 24 and will play Indian side Mohan Bagun on the way home. The tour will be the last appearance of former Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn, who will finish his career at the end of the season. "The Asian market is very important, if not the most important in the world," Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said.
TIGHT GAME: The Detroit Pistons, the NBA’s second-best team, barely outlasted the Washington Wizards, who fell to an NBA-worst 1-10 with their ninth consecutive loss Cade Cunningham’s triple double, Daniss Jenkins’ three-pointer at the buzzer and Javonte Green’s overtime dunk lifted Detroit past Washington 137-135 on Monday, stretching the Pistons’ win streak to seven games. In an unexpected thriller, the NBA’s second-best team barely outlasted a Wizards club that fell to an NBA-worst 1-10 with their ninth consecutive loss. “We knew how big this game was for us,” Jenkins said. “We wasn’t going to let nothing stop us from getting this W.” Cunningham made 14-of-45 shots and 16-of-18 free throws for a career-high 46 points, and added 12 rebounds, 11 assists, five steals and two
LIKE FINE WINE: Thirty-eight-year-old Djokovic won his 101st title of his career in Athens, becoming the oldest tournament winner since Ken Roswell, 44, in 1977 Elena Rybakina on Saturday clinched her biggest title since Wimbledon in 2022, defeating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 7-6 (7/0) at the WTA Finals in Riyadh. The world No. 6 put on yet another serving masterclass and was at her returning best as she became the first Kazakh and the first player representing an Asian country to lift the WTA Finals singles trophy. Having gone 3-0 in round-robin play, Rybakina earned a record US$5.235 million and would finish the year ranked No. 5 in the world. “It’s been an incredible week, I honestly didn’t expect any result, and to go so far,
EMPTY STANDS: Maccabi fans were banned from attending by police, who cited violence and hate crimes when the team played Ajax in Amsterdam last season Aston Villa beat Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv 2-0 on Thursday in a Europa League game played amid heightened security measures, with more than 700 police officers deployed to deal with possible protests. Morgan Rogers put through Ian Maatsen in first-half stoppage time for the defender to score from a tight angle and Villa doubled the lead on the hour with Donyell Malen hitting the bottom corner from the penalty spot. It was Villa’s third win from games in the competition. The game at Villa Park had become the center of a political debate after Maccabi fans were banned from attending, as
An amateur soccer league organized by farmers, students and factory workers in rural China has unexpectedly drawn millions of fans and inspired big cities to form their own, raising hopes China can grow talent from the ground up and finally become a global force. The nation of 1.4 billion people has about 200 million soccer fans, more than any other country, but it has failed to build world-class teams, partly due to a top-down approach where clubs pick players from a very small pool of prescreened candidates. The professional game is marred by a history of fixed matches, corruption, and dismal performances,
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