TENNIS
Wawrinka wins in Chennai
Defending champion Stanislas Wawrinka breezed into the quarter-finals of the ATP Chennai Open on Wednesday as the Swiss got his bid for a third consecutive title in southern India off to a perfect start. The world No. 4 took just 52 minutes to dispatch Russian wild-card Andrey Rublev in straight sets 6-3, 6-2 to set up a last-eight clash with Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez. Fifth seed Garcia-Lopez had earlier defeated Croatian qualifier Ante Pavic 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 in their second-round tie at the Nungambakkam Tennis Stadium. Two-time Grand Slam winner Wawrinka, who is the top seed in India, is seeking to get his name on the Chennai Open trophy for the fourth time after victories in 2011, 2014 and last year. After receiving a first-round bye, he got off to a emphatic start, hitting six aces and breaking his 18-year-old Russian opponent on three occasions. Elsewhere in the last 16, No. 8 seed Borna Coric of Croatia defeated American Austin Krajicek 6-2, 7-5, while fourth seed Roberto Bautista Agut defeated John Millman 6-4, 6-1.
RUGBY UNION
Ireland hire Farrell
Less than a month after being released by England, Andy Farrell has been hired as the defense coach for Ireland’s rugby team and is to start the role after the Six Nations. Farrell, a former England international in both rugby codes, is contracted with the Irish Rugby Football Union until the end of the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Farrell spent four years as defense coach with England and had the same role with the British and Irish Lions for their tour of Australia in 2013.
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
Holm, Rousey fight on hold
Bantamweight champion Holly Holm is to take another fight before her much-anticipated rematch with Ronda Rousey. UFC president Dana White announced on Wednesday night. Holm (10-0) beat Rousey in November last year in one of the biggest upsets in recent sports history. Holm also agreed to a recent contract extension. Holm was reluctant to wait until Rousey finished filming two movies this year before their presumed rematch, which was expected to be at UFC 200 in Las Vegas in July. White said the Albuquerque-based champion is to get another fight in the interim, likely pushing back the date of her rematch with Rousey. Former title contender Miesha Tate is said to be the most logical contender.
BASEBALL
China to stream MLB games
MLB games are to be streamed live to China for the first time under a three-year agreement with Le Sports announced on Wednesday. Le Sports gained the rights to show 125 games annually, including 96 during the regular season, 20 during the post-season, the All-Star Game, the World Series and the All-Star Home Run Derby. It is also to broadcast Chinese-language MLB programming. In addition, Le Sports can rebroadcast via video-on-demand the games it has rights to.
GOLF
World Cup format announced
The World Cup of Golf is to revert to a two-man team-play format when the tournament returns to Melbourne in November for the 58th edition of the event, organizers announced on Wednesday. A statement from the PGA Tour said the tournament is to feature teams from 28 different nations when it is held at Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne. This year’s tournament is to carry an US$8 million purse, with the winning duo splitting US$2.56 million.
Japan’s Shohei Ohtani is the record-breaking baseball “superhuman” following in the footsteps of the legendary Babe Ruth who has also earned comparisons to US sporting greats Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. Not since Ruth a century ago has there been a baseball player capable of both pitching and hitting at the top level. The 30-year-old’s performances with the Los Angeles Dodgers have consolidated his position as a baseball legend in the making, and a national icon in his native Japan. He continues to find new ways to amaze, this year becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases
More than 180 years of horse racing came to an end in Singapore on Saturday, as the Singapore Turf Club hosted its final race day before its track is handed back to the Singaporean government to provide land for new homes. Under an overcast sky, the air-conditioned VIP boxes were full of enthusiasts, socialites and expats, while the grounds and betting halls below hosted mostly older-generation punters. The sun broke through for the last race, the last-ever Grand Singapore Gold Cup. The winner, South African jockey Muzi Yeni, echoed a feeling of loss shared by many on the day. “I’d
PREDICTION: Last week, when Yu’s father made a wrong turn to the former champions’ parking lot, he said that his son could park there after this year With back-to-back birdies on the 18th hole, Kevin Yu fulfilled his driving range-owning dad’s prediction that he would win the Sanderson Farms Championship and become Taiwan’s third golfer to claim a US PGA Tour title. The Taoyuan-born 26-year-old, who represented Taiwan in the Olympic golf at Paris, saw off Californian Beau Hossler in a playoff at the Country Club of Jackson, Mississippi, on Sunday. Having drained a 15-foot putt to claw his way into the playoff, Yu rolled in from five feet on the first extra hole, ensuring he joined Chen Tze-chung (LA Open in 1987) and Pan Cheng-tsung (RBC
Francesco Bagnaia yesterday profited from a mistake by rookie Pedro Acosta to win the Japan MotoGP sprint and close the gap on overall championship leader, Jorge Martin. Spaniard Acosta crashed with four laps to go while leading the field at Motegi, allowing defending world champion Bagnaia to take first ahead of Enea Bastianini and Marc Marquez. Spain’s Martin finished fourth and saw his overall lead over Italian Bagnaia in the championship standings cut to 15 points. “I am very happy because with these conditions, it’s not very easy to win and gain points,” Bagnaia said after a sprint race that took place under
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