China yesterday surged into a 2-0 lead against Taiwan in their Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group I tie at the Yang-Ming Tennis Center in Kaohsiung, with both opening singles rubbers going to five sets.
In the first Davis Cup tie between the cross-strait neighbors since 2013, Li Zhe gave the visitors the lead with a 5-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-7 (6/8), 7-5 victory over Chen Ti in the first singles rubber in 4 hours, 36 minutes.
World No. 265 Chen is the only member of the Taiwan team who played in their last victory over China 10 years ago in the Asia/Oceania Group I relegation playoff in 2007.
China got the better of Taiwan in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Li fired down 15 aces and converted 10 of 21 break points, winning 197 of the 374 points contested.
In the second singles rubber, Taiwanese world No. 168 Jason Jung retired in the fifth set with China’s Wu Yibing leading 6-1, 4-6, 5-7, 7-6 (11/9), 4-1 after 3 hours, 50 minutes.
Jung failed to convert two match-points in the fourth-set tiebreaker before running out of steam in the fifth set.
Wu fired down 12 aces and converted five of 19 break points, winning 181 of the 356 points contested to give the visitors a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five tie and put them on the brink of a promotion playoff against Kazakhstan on April 7 to April 9.
In the doubles rubber today, Taiwan’s Lee Kuan-yi and Peng Hsien-yin are scheduled to take on Li and Zhang Zhizhen.
STILL IN THE HUNT: Rasmus Hojlund took his goal tally for SSC Napoli to nine as the champions cruised to a win at US Cremonese and stayed two points behind the leaders Inter on Sunday stayed at the Serie A summit after beating Atalanta BC 1-0 to maintain their slender lead over local rivals AC Milan. Lautaro Martinez netted the only goal of the game in Bergamo for Inter, who lead Milan, 3-0 winners against Hellas Verona thanks to Christoper Nkunku’s first Serie A goals, by a single point at the top of the division. The Argentina striker has scored in four consecutive league matches to end what has been a tricky year in positive style. “I ended last season in a lot of pain... I kept going during the Club World Cup and international
Hosts Morocco on Friday were held to a 1-1 draw by Mali at the Africa Cup of Nations, ending their world record run of wins and leaving them still to make sure of progress to the next stage. Midfielder Brahim Diaz tucked away a penalty in stoppage-time at the end of the first half, but Mali equalized from the spot midway through the second half through Lassine Sinayoko. Both penalties were awarded after video reviews in a tempestuous clash at the end of a busy day of action at the tournament. Morocco were atop the Group A standings with four points, while Zambia,
An astounding 20 wickets fell on a frantic first day of the fourth Ashes Test yesterday, with Australia all out for 152 before storming back to dismiss England for 110 and leave the clash on a knife-edge. England skipper Ben Stokes won a key toss on a green track and his quicks feasted after sending in the hosts under overcast skies in front of 94,199 fans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It was the biggest cricket crowd ever at the cavernous arena, exceeding the 93,013 who watched the 2015 World Cup final, and they witnessed the home side collapse with Josh Tongue
Algeria on Sunday became the third country after Egypt and Nigeria to qualify for the knockout stage of the Africa Cup of Nations by edging Burkina Faso 1-0 in Rabat through a Riyad Mahrez penalty. Defending champions Ivory Coast failed to join the trio after drawing 1-1 with Cameroon in a lively showdown in Marrakesh. Elsewhere, Mozambique ended a 39-match wait for a first victory by beating Gabon 3-2, while Sudan got back into contention for a last-16 slot by beating Equatorial Guinea 1-0 in Casablanca. Captain Mahrez converted from the penalty spot midway through the first half and Algeria then held on
RSS