BASKETBALL
Yao Ming confident of return
Chinese star center Yao Ming, limited by doctors to only 24 minutes a game for the NBA’s Houston Rockets, is confident he might be freed from a ban on playing back-to-back nights by January. Medical experts placed the limits upon the 2.26m giant to keep Yao’s surgically repaired left foot from breaking as it has repeatedly in his NBA career, the latest such injury keeping him out all of last season. “I cannot play back-to-backs, at least not until January,” Yao told reporters on Tuesday as the Rockets, 1-5, prepared to begin a three-game road trip at Washington, where Chinese standout Yi Jianlian plays.
SOCCER
SvFF seeks to end rumor
Malmo must hand back the Swedish league trophy just days after receiving it to quell speculation it was tampered with by a soccer-mad silversmith. The Swedish Football Association (SvFF) said it was determined to end persistent rumors about a secret inscription made by Ingemar Eklund, a Stockholm-based engraver who died recently. “There is a rumor, or possibly a myth, that inside the trophy the silversmith inscribed the words ‘Bajen foerever.’ We don’t know if that’s the case, we believe that it’s a myth, but we decided that we have to find out,” SvFF general secretary Mikael Santoft told reporters on Tuesday. “Bajen” is the nickname of Eklund’s favorite club, Hammarby IF.
SOCCER
Russian men take title
Russia’s men emulated their female counterparts in Paris by taking the team saber world title here on Tuesday as they defeated Italy 45-41 to collect their first crown in the event since 2005. The Russians had only garnered a bronze apiece in the individual saber event, but redeemed themselves in style in the magnificent surroundings of the Grand Palais as first the women trounced titleholders Ukraine (45-33) and then their men came through against the Italians. The Russians had to mount a superb comeback as they trailed 15-4 early on.
SAILING
Franck Cammas wins race
Franck Cammas has won the Route du Rhum, but failed to beat the trans-Atlantic race record when he reached the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe on Tuesday. Cammas arrived in Pointe-a-Pitre in his multihull Groupama 3 at 4:16pm local time, finishing in nine days, three hours, 14 minutes, 47 seconds. Lionel Lemonchois set the record in the previous race four years ago in seven days, 17 hours, 19 minutes, six seconds after taking a more direct route. Groupama 3 covered the 4,471 nautical miles from Saint-Malo at an average speed of 20.39 knots. Eighty-five boats entered the race, which has been staged every four years since 1978.
BOXING
Court restrains Mayweather
A Las Vegas court has ordered boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr to stay away from his former girlfriend and their two sons after prosecutors say he hit her and threatened to beat his children if they called 911. Mayweather skipped a hearing on Tuesday before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Diana Sullivan on eight misdemeanor and felony charges. Sullivan gave Mayweather a week to pay US$31,000 in bail. Authorities allege Mayweather took mobile phones belonging to Josie Harris and their sons following the Sept. 9 dispute. Mayweather faces charges of felony coercion, grand larceny and robbery, and misdemeanor domestic battery and harassment. He could face up to 34 years in prison if convicted on all charges. He is due back in court on Jan. 24.
FRUSTRATION: Alcaraz made several unforced errors over four sets against Bosnian Damir Dzumhur, who had never made it past the third round in a major competition Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz reached the fourth round of the French Open after laboring past Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the Friday night session. The second-seeded Spaniard had never before played Dzumhur, a 33-year-old Bosnian who had never been past the third round at any major tournament. “I suffered quite a lot today,” Alcaraz said. “The first two sets was under control, then he started to play more deeply and more aggressively. It was really difficult for me.” Dzumhur hurt his left knee in a fall in the second round, and had treatment on Friday on his right leg during the
‘DREAM’: The 5-0 victory was PSG’s first Champions League title, and the biggest final win by any team in the 70-year history of the top-flight European competition Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League for the first time as Luis Enrique’s brilliant young side outclassed Inter on Saturday in the most one-sided final ever with teenager Desire Doue scoring twice in an astonishing 5-0 victory. Doue supplied the pass for Achraf Hakimi to give PSG an early lead and the 19-year-old went from provider to finisher as his deflected shot doubled the advantage in the 20th minute. Doue scored again just after the hour mark, ending any doubt about the outcome before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ran away to get the fourth and substitute Senny Mayulu, another teenager, made it five. Inter were
The Greek basketball league finals between Panathinaikos and Olympiakos were suspended by the government on Monday following on-court scuffles involving rival security teams. The best-of-five series is at 1-1. The third game, scheduled for today, has been postponed. The owners of both clubs were summoned to meet with the country’s sports minister. They “will be asked to provide explicit guarantees that this situation will be brought to an end. If not, this year’s championship will be definitively canceled,” government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said. “There can be no tolerance for such pathological phenomena of violence and delinquency.” In online posts, the owners of Panathinaikos and
The Edmonton Oilers on Thursday defeated the Dallas Stars 6-3 to book their place in the Stanley Cup Finals, setting up a repeat of last year’s NHL showpiece against reigning champions the Florida Panthers. The Oilers, bidding to become the first Canadian team to win the NHL’s championship series since the 1993 Montreal Canadiens, head to Florida for Game 1 of the best-of-seven series set for Wednesday. Florida, who are to play in the NHL showpiece for the third straight season, won last year’s title 4-3 to extend Canada’s decades-long Stanley Cup drought. Connor McDavid led Edmonton back to the championship series on
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