■TENNIS
Hsieh loses, Chan wins
Taiwanese players enjoyed mixed fortunes in the second round of the WTA Guangzhou Open yesterday. Olga Savchuk of Ukraine beat Hsieh Su-wei 6-4, 6-4 but Chan Yung-jan defeated ninth-seeded Italian Maria Elena Camerin 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/2). It was a much-needed win for the 20 year-old, who has seen her ranking slip from 68 at the end of last year to her current position of 140. Chan plays Israeli fifth seed Shahar Peer in the next round of the hardcourt tournament. World No. 21 Annabel Medina Garrigues of Spain is the top seed at the US$220,000 event.
■SOCCER
Hammers sign Franco
West Ham United have signed Mexico striker Guillermo Franco, the Premier League club said yesterday. No contract details were given on West Ham’s Web site but the 32-year-old Franco, who had been without a club, was delighted to get the opportunity of first-team soccer in the lead-up to next year’s World Cup. “This is a very important stage in my career and I hope to score lots of goals for the club this season and then play at the World Cup,” the former Villarreal, San Lorenzo and Monterrey player said. A member of Mexico’s 2006 World Cup squad in Germany, Franco was called up by national coach Javier Aguirre for this month’s World Cup qualifiers and scored in the 3-0 win at Costa Rica.
■RUGBY LEAGUE
Coach and player sacked
South Sydney sacked coach Jason Taylor and New Zealand international David Fa’alogo yesterday over a bar fight, highlighting a troubled season for Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL). The club named John Lang as their coach for the next two seasons and apologized for the incident, in which Fa’alogo allegedly punched Taylor down a flight of stairs in retaliation for a playful slap. “The incident that occurred on Sept. 6 has undoubtedly done damage to the club’s reputation,” chief executive Shane Richardson told journalists. “The game needs to make a stance on our behavioral incidents and each club needs to make their own statement about what is acceptable behavior. We believe this is not acceptable behavior from the head coach of South Sydney.” It was the latest unsavory incident to mar the NRL which has been overshadowed by group sex, domestic violence, racism, doping and drug abuse scandals this season.
■BASKETBALL
Bateer urges Yao to rest
Menk Bateer, the first Chinese to start an NBA game, has urged his injured countryman Yao Ming not to rush back into action, advising the star Houston Rockets center to skip the 2009-2010 season. “He is higher and heavier than most of the NBA players and has more duties during the off-season. It’s better for him to take a rest next season,” he told the Oriental Sports Daily. Yao underwent surgery in July after suffering a fracture in his left foot during a playoff game against eventual champions the Los Angeles Lakers. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said last month that Yao was improving and that his career was no longer at risk, adding that there was a chance he could return this season. But Bateer, who played for the Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs, among others, said it would be a mistake to push Yao too hard. “Health is the start of everything,” he said. “Take your time, don’t hurry. There is nothing more important than your health. I don’t want to see Yao on the court until he really feels ready for the game.”
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,
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
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
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
RSS