BASEBALL
Angels deny Ohtani surgery
Los Angeles Angels general manager Billy Eppler on Monday denied a report that two-way star Shohei Ohtani faced season-ending Tommy John surgery on his damaged elbow. ESPN baseball commentator Pedro Gomez on Sunday reported that Ohtani was expected to undergo surgery on his elbow that could leave him sidelined until 2020. However, Eppler swiftly played down the reports early on Monday, telling the MLB Network that there had been no change in Ohtani’s condition. The Japanese star is out for three weeks after suffering sprained elbow ligaments and the club is hopeful that he might respond to platelet-rich plasma and stem cell therapy. Ohtani’s injury is a blow to the Angels, who are 37-29 as they attempt to stay in touch with the pace-setting Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros in the American League West division.
CYCLING
Colbrelli wins Swiss sprint
Italy’s Sonny Colbrelli outfoxed three-time world champion Peter Sagan and Colombia’s Fernando Gaviria to win the third stage of the Tour de Suisse on Monday. BMC’s Stefan Kung, the yellow jersey wearer and home hope, finished in the main pack to maintain his overall lead, as the race turns into the high mountains. Colbrelli launched his sprint early and got a good 10 bike lengths ahead before Sagan and Gaviria went after him. The three crossed the line all leaning in on each other with the fast-moving Sagan in the middle unable to muscle through. Slovak Sagan had won Sunday’s stage, while Quick-Step’s Gaviria also came second on stage two and must be wondering where he can find a win. The 182km run over rolling terrain featured a high tempo largely thanks to a three-man breakaway eventually reeled in largely by the efforts of Sagan’s team.
BOXING
Wilder to fight Joshua
American Deontay Wilder has agreed on terms to fight Anthony Joshua in Britain later this year in a bout that would crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 2000, ESPN reported on Monday. Briton Joshua (21-0) is the holder of the IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO titles while Wilder (40-0) is the WBC world champion. Wilder’s co-manager Shelly Finkel told ESPN that they had agreed to the latest terms offered by Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn. “We have agreed to the terms that Eddie has put out to us for a fight in the UK. Deontay has accepted his terms to fight in the UK,” Finkel said. Wilder, in a message on Twitter, confirmed that he had agreed to fight in Britain, but said an offer to Joshua of US$50 million to fight in the US was still on the table. The WBC title is the only one remaining on Joshua’s radar after he added the WBO championship to his collection by defeating New Zealand’s previously unbeaten Joseph Parker in March by unanimous decision.
SPORTS BETTING
New Jersey approves bill
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy on Monday signed a bill to legalize sports betting, opening the door for the state to regulate and tax the activity at casinos and racetracks. “Our casinos in Atlantic City and our racetracks throughout our state can attract new business and new fans, boosting their own long-term financial prospects,” Murphy said in a statement. “This is the right move for New Jersey and it will strengthen our economy.”
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
Former world No. 2 Paula Badosa has withdrawn from this week’s Wuhan Open, organizers said on Tuesday, amid a racism row over an online photograph. Tournament organizers said the Spaniard had pulled out of the WTA 1000 tournament, citing a gastrointestinal illness, hours before her first-round match against Australian Ajla Tomljanovic. News outlets including Britain’s the Telegraph earlier reported that Badosa had posted a photo on Instagram in which she appeared to imitate a Chinese face by placing chopsticks on the corners of her eyes. The photo was taken last week in a restaurant in Beijing, where she reached the semi-finals of the
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
LeBron James and eldest son Bronny James claimed a piece of NBA history on Sunday after making their long-awaited first appearance alongside each other for the Los Angeles Lakers. The duo appeared together at the start of the second quarter in the Lakers’ 118-114 preseason defeat to the Phoenix Suns in Palm Desert, east of Los Angeles. While LeBron James impressed with 19 points in just 16 minutes and 20 seconds on court before sitting out the second half, Bronny found the going harder with zero points in just over 13 minutes on court. The younger James attempted just one
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