BASEBALL
Liu Chih-jung quarantined
The Boston Red Sox last week quarantined prospect Liu Chih-jung in his Florida hotel room as soon as he arrived from Taiwan due to concerns about COVID-19, the Boston Globe reported on Tuesday. The 20-year-old right-handed pitcher, who was signed by the Red Sox in October last year and had arrived to begin spring training with the team, was quarantined out of “an overabundance of caution,” the newspaper quoted the Red Sox as saying in a statement. He is expected to join up with the Major League Baseball team this weekend. A representative for the team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
GOLF
Volvo Golf Open postponed
The China Golf Association has postponed the yearly Volvo Golf Open, Xinhua news agency said yesterday. The event, scheduled to be held from April 20 to April 26 in Shenzhen, would not take place due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Xinhua said. The report did not provide details on to when the event would be rescheduled.
SOCCER
Brescia fined for virus chant
Italian club Brescia have been fined 10,000 euros (US$10,881) after fans chanted “Napoli coronavirus” at supporters of their league rivals, Serie A announced on Tuesday. The Italian league’s disciplinary commission fined the northerners for “vulgar, insulting and repeated chants from its supporters against those of the opposing team” in a match on Friday last week, which SSC Napoli won 2-1. Brescia’s hardcore “ultra” fans apologized in a statement. “We realize that we have made a mistake since our country is facing the possible development of this disease and we apologize to the Italian families involved,” it read.
MOTORSPORT
Alonso to race at Indy 500
Fernando Alonso is to race for Arrow McLaren SP at this year’s Indianapolis 500, where the Spaniard will try to complete motor sport’s “Triple Crown,” the team announced on Tuesday. Alonso is hoping to become only the second driver after Britain’s Graham Hill to complete the so-called “Triple Crown of Motorsport,” having already secured wins at the Monaco Grand Prix and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. “I am a racer and the Indy 500 is the greatest race in the world. I love the incredible fans who make it so special for all of us drivers and make me want to come back,” 38-year-old Alonso said in a news release. “I have maximum respect for this race and everyone who competes in it, and all I want to do is race against them and give my best, as always.” Alonso made his debut at the famous oval circuit in 2017 when he led for 27 laps, but finished a frustrating 24th after suffering a blown engine with 21 laps to go. The two-time Formula One champion did not return for the 2018 edition and last year failed to qualify. At Indianapolis, he is to guide his new team’s two young full-time drivers, American Oliver Askew and Mexico’s Pato O’Ward. “It was important for me to explore my options for this race, but Arrow McLaren SP has always been at the top,” Alonso said. “I have a special relationship with McLaren; we’ve been through a lot together and that creates a bond, a loyalty that is strong.”
The next generation of running talent takes center stage at today’s Berlin Marathon, in the absence of stars including Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge and Ethiopian world record holder Tigist Assefa. With most of the major marathon stars skipping the event in the wake of the Paris Olympics just more than a month ago, the field is wide open in the men’s and women’s races. Since 2015, Kipchoge has won five times in Berlin, Kenenisa Bekele has won twice and Guye Adola once — with all three missing today. Kenyan Kibiwott Kandie and Ethiopian Tadese Takele are among the favourites for the men, while
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
Zhang Shuai yesterday said that she nearly quit after losing 24 matches in a row — now the world No. 595 is into the quarter-finals of her home China Open. The 35-year-old is to face Spain’s Paula Badosa as the lowest-ranked player to reach this stage in the history of the tournament after Badosa reeled off 11 of the last 12 games in a 6-4, 6-0 victory over US Open finalist Jessica Pegula. Zhang went into Beijing on a barren run lasting more than 600 days and her string of singles defeats was the second-longest on the WTA Tour Open era, which
Taiwan’s Tony Wu yesterday beat Mackenzie McDonald of the US to win the Nonthaburi Challenger IV in Thailand, his first challenger victory since 2022. The 26-year-old world No. 315, who won both his qualifiers to advance to the main draw, has been on a hot streak this month, winning his past nine matches, including two that ensured Taiwan’s victory in their Davis Cup World Group I tie. Wu took just more than two hours to top world No. 172 McDonald 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) to win his second challenger tournament since the Tallahassee Tennis Challenger in 2022. Wu’s Tallahassee win followed two years of
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