■ 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.
RECORD DEFEAT: The Shanghai-based ‘Oriental Sports Daily’ said the drubbing was so disastrous, and taste so bitter, that all that is left is ‘numbness’ Chinese soccer fans and media rounded on the national team yesterday after they experienced fresh humiliation in a 7-0 thrashing to rivals Japan in their opening Group C match in the third phase of Asian qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. The humiliation in Saitama on Thursday against Asia’s top-ranked team was China’s worst defeat in World Cup qualifying and only a goal short of their record 8-0 loss to Brazil in 2012. Chinese President Xi Jinping once said he wanted China to host and even win the World Cup one day, but that ambition looked further away than ever after a
Taiwanese badminton superstar Lee Yang broke down in tears after publicly retiring from the sport on Sunday. The two-time Olympic gold medalist held a retirement ceremony at the Taipei Arena after the final matches of the Taipei Open. Accompanied by friends, family and former badminton partners, Lee burst into tears while watching a video celebrating key moments in his professional sporting career that also featured messages from international players such as Malaysia’s Teo Ee Yi, Hong Kong’s Tang Chun-man, and Indonesia’s Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan. “I hope that in the future when the world thinks about me, they will
Former Formosa Dreamers player Ilkan Karaman was killed in a traffic accident in Datca, Turkey, Turkish media reported yesterday. He was 34. The former Turkish national team player was reportedly hit by a car, the driver of which was allegedly drunk, while he was standing on a sidewalk, Turkish newspaper Sozcu reported. Karaman and his friends were on their way to the beach town of Dalaman to go scuba diving when they stopped at a gas station to buy gasoline, it reported. Karaman was hit by the car while waiting on a sidewalk as his friends were buying gasoline, it
ANKLE PROBLEM: Taiwan’s Ye Hong-wei and Lee Chia-hsin had a disappointing end to their tournament after an injury forced them out of their mixed doubles semi-final Taiwanese badminton ace Tai Tzu-ying on Friday was knocked out in the women’s singles quarter-finals at her last Taipei Open. The world No. 3 lost 21-18, 16-21, 22-24 to Putri Kusuma Wardani of Indonesia in a match that stretched 68 minutes at the Taipei Arena. Despite her higher ranking, Tai said she was not too sad about the loss, given her struggle with a lingering knee injury. “Wins and losses are just part of the game. Actually, I think I’m going to lose every single match considering my condition now,” said the five-time champion of the Super 300 event, who has announced plans
RSS