■TENNIS
Davenport pulls out
Former Olympic tennis champion Lindsay Davenport has pulled out of the Beijing singles tournament with a knee injury, a US official said yesterday. The 1996 gold medalist has been struggling with the problem since it forced her to withdraw from Wimbledon. “It’s still complications from the knee injury that forced her to pull out of Wimbledon,” a team spokesman said. “There’s concern about being able to play potentially 11 matches on it.” Davenport remains in the doubles competition, where she will partner Liezel Huber.
■BASKETBALL
Aussie Bogut fit and ready
Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut declared himself fit yesterday to play for Australia in their Olympic opener, reveling in being the underdog against a US team stuffed with NBA superstars. “My ankle is 70 percent. Rest was the best thing. I’m feeling pretty good,” said Bogut, who last month signed a contract extension with the Bucks in a new deal reportedly worth US$72.5 million over five years. He injured his ankle last week during a warm-up game in Nanjing and his recovery is welcome news for the “Boomers” as they prepare to face Croatia tomorrow. The soreness put him out of their game against the US in Shanghai this week, which the Americans won 87-76 with Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade scoring nine points in the fourth quarter to hold off the surging Aussies.
■SAILING
Regatta set for light winds
The Olympic sailing regatta will start in light winds today with the breeze picking up early next week, US team meteorologist Jennifer Lilly said yesterday. Strong tides and light winds are a feature of this stretch of coastline in August and Olympic sailors having long been preparing for such conditions. “What we have been seeing is normal climatic conditions this month,” Lilly said. “Hot, hazy, humid days with weak sea breeze conditions.” Practice racing was abandoned at the Olympic Sailing Center on Thursday on a calm day in Qingdao following several days of moderate breeze. Lilly said Monday and Tuesday could be “more interesting.” “There is an area of low pressure to the south and we may get a stronger breeze,” she said.
■ATHLETICS
Fukushima to make history
Chisato Fukushima will become the first Japanese woman to run in the Olympic 100m for 56 years when she races in Beijing. Fukushima, who follows Ayako Yoshikawa’s appearance in the 1952 Helsinki Games, equaled the national record of 11.36 seconds in April to achieve the “B” qualifying standard and was selected last month. “I’ve been given this chance, so if I can I want to help in the advancement of women’s sprinting by breaking the Japanese record and making it out of the first round,” the 20-year-old said. “I’m suddenly in this situation, so it’s tough to get used to. I didn’t think I would be chosen, but I set a goal of making the Beijing Olympics.” The athletics competition starts on Friday.
■BOXING
Russell dropped from team
US bantamweight Gary Russell Jr will miss the Beijing Olympics after collapsing while struggling to make his weight, US team coach Dan Campbell told reporters yesterday. The 20-year-old Russell was removed from the US team’s list of competitors before yesterday’s draw for the tournament starting today. “Medically, he’s been cleared, he’s now resting,” Campbell said. “He’s extremely depressed.”
Jobe Bellingham on Tuesday admitted to having “anxieties” on following in brother Jude’s footsteps after joining Borussia Dortmund in the summer. Jobe Bellingham, 19, is two years younger than Jude Bellingham, who joined Real Madrid in 2023 after three years at Dortmund. A centerpiece of the England national team, Jude Bellingham has emerged as one of the best players in the world in recent seasons. The younger Jobe Bellingham joined Dortmund in June from Sunderland after their promotion to the English Premier League. He admitted he understood what the perception would be ahead of the move to Germany. “It’s something you do think about.
Before Tuesday’s 7-2 win at the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy suggested “most people couldn’t tell you five players on our team.” A look at the standings would indicate more Brewers players soon will be recognized by more fans. After all, it is difficult to overlook a team that not only continues to extend their lead in the National League Central, but also boasts the best record in the majors. “What we’re doing in here right now is special,” right-handed pitcher Freddy Peralta said after allowing only four hits and one run in five innings, while setting a career high with
A baseball team from New Taipei City won the US Pony Palomino Division World Series yesterday in Laredo, Texas, defeating the US West representative team from Azusa, California, 2-1. Ku-Pao Home Economics and Commercial High School earned the right to represent Taiwan in the Pony Palomino (17 to 18 age group) World Series after winning this year's Wang Chen-chih Cup, a competition named after Taiwanese-Japanese baseball legend Wang Chen-chih (王貞治), also known as Sadaharu Oh. In the championship game against Azusa, Ku-Pao's starting pitcher Luo Yu-yan (羅于晏) was erratic early, giving up two hits in the bottom of the first inning, followed
Taiwanese pitcher Teng Kai-wei took the mound in New York on Saturday as the starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants in his MLB season debut against the New York Mets, pitching 3.1 innings and allowing five runs. The Taiwanese right-hander struggled early, giving up three runs in the bottom of the first inning, including a three-run homer to Mets slugger Pete Alonso — his 250th career home run. However, Teng was not fazed and soon found his footing, holding the Mets scoreless in the bottom of the second and third innings. Meanwhile, Mets starter Kodai Senga of Japan made a few errors
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