TENNIS
Li Na humiliated in Beijing
French Open champion Li Na was humiliated in front of her home fans yesterday, crashing out in the first round of the China Open in straight sets to unheralded Romanian qualifier Monica Niculescu. Li’s 6-4, 6-0 defeat was the second straight first-round exit for the 29-year-old, who made history as the first Asian to win a Grand Slam singles title in Paris in June. The world No. 5 dropped serve six times against Niculescu, slipping to defeat in just under 90 minutes in front of her stunned fans in the Chinese capital. There was further disappointment for those fans as Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia ended the hopes of Zhang Shuai 6-0, 6-2 and Kaia Kanepi of Estonia defeated Zheng Saisai 6-0, 6-3. Taiwan’s Chan Yung-jan and her partner, Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic, safely negotiated their first-round match in the doubles, defeating Poland’s Klaudia Jans-Ignacik and Alicja Rosolska 6-2, 7-5.
MOTOGP
Pedrosa wins in Japan
Honda’s Dani Pedrosa won the Japanese MotoGP yesterday, finishing more than seven seconds ahead of reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo on a Yamaha at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit. Spain’s Pedrosa sealed his third victory of the season in 42 minutes, 47.481 seconds, while championship leader Casey Stoner on a Honda, who started from pole, was third. Pedrosa kept his calm throughout an action-packed race that saw five riders retire after crashing. “Casey made the mistake ... so I had a free way,” said Pedrosa, who finished second in the previous three races. “I concentrated to do the best lap times I could. The bike was working quite well.”
GOLF
Hoey opens three-shot lead
Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey edged clear of the field at the Dunhill Links Championship on Saturday, opening up a three-shot lead heading into the final round. Hoey shot a 66 at Carnoustie to finish in the clubhouse on 18-under, ahead of compatriot Graeme McDowell on 15-under after the former US Open champion carded a 67 at St Andrews. South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen was lurking four shots off the lead after posting a 69, one ahead of seven golfers on 13-under that included world No. 1 Luke Donald and Rory McIlroy.
GOLF
Watney, Na lead in Vegas
Nick Watney, a two-time winner on the USPGA Tour this season, fired a seven-under 64 on Saturday to join Kevin Na atop the leaderboard after three rounds of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas. Watney birdied the final three holes and five of the last six on the par-71 TPC Summlerin course en route to a 54-hole total of 17-under 196. Na, who shared the overnight lead with Venezuelan rookie Jhonattan Vegas and South Korea’s Charlie Wi, carded a five-under 66.
BOXING
Nishioka defends his title
Japan’s Toshiaki Nishioka successfully defended his WBC super bantamweight title, unanimously outpointing Rafael Marquez on Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Nishioka improved to 39-4-3 in his sixth title defense, receiving winning scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 115-113 from the judges. Marquez dropped to 40-7. On the undercard, Ramon Gonzalez retained his WBA light flyweight title by stopping Omar Soto after 36 seconds of the second round. Gonzalez improved to 30-0 with his 25th knockout, flooring Soto (22-9-1) with a left to the chin.
A seven-year-old horse had to be euthanized on Friday after breaking its back on the final fence of a Grand National steeplechase race that it won despite sustaining the serious injury. It follows the death of four horses at the Cheltenham Festival last month — including one after the prestigious Gold Cup. Gold Dancer was competing in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase during Ladies Day at Aintree’s Grand National Festival. The horse managed to cross the finish line approximately four lengths ahead of runner-up Regent’s Stroll. “The winner of our second race of the day, Gold Dancer, was pulled up after
Taiwanese gymnast Tang Chia-hung on Sunday topped the men’s horizontal bar event at the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) World Cup in Osijek, Croatia, scoring 15.233 to take his third title this season. Tang delivered an outstanding performance in the final, earning a difficulty score of 6.500 and an execution score of 8.633 with a 0.1 stick bonus. His closest competitor was Milad Karimi of Kazakhstan, who finished second with 14.933 points. It was Tang’s third gold medal in the FIG World Cup series this year, following his horizontal bar wins in Azerbaijan on March 8, and in Turkey on March
The Daredevils yesterday took eight catches in the final as they eked out a victory in the Taiwan Cricket Triangular Tournament against PCCT at Yingfeng Cricket Ground in Taipei’s Songshan District. PCCT’s batting lineup collapsed after they asked the Daredevils to bowl in the T20 decider of the weekend tournament that also involved the Formosa Cricket Club. PCCT were bundled out for 76 in 16.2 overs against a disciplined Daredevils attack. Ninad Malwade was the top scorer in the innings with 21, but he was among those who offered chances to the fielders. Shane Ferreira and Jason Cameron took three wickets each, with
This year’s Taiwan Athletics Open, which offers Taiwanese athletes an opportunity to compete against their international peers, would be held under a new name after its organizers had earlier announced the event’s cancelation. In a statement issued yesterday, the Chinese Taipei Athletics Association said the competition would still take place on June 6-7 at Banciao Stadium, but under the name “New Taipei City Athletics Open 2026.” The event was given a new name to emphasize its local identity and conform with the international practice of naming World Athletics Tour events after cities, the association said. It said it would soon
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