Sun, Aug 22, 2021 page11

• SPORTS BRIEFS

  • Agencies
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  TENNIS

  Hsieh Yu-chieh makes final

  Taiwan’s Hsieh Yu-chieh and partner Mona Barthel of Germany yesterday advanced to the final of the WTA Challenger Series-Chicago, defeating French pair Kristina Mladenovic and Clara Burel in the semi-finals. The Taiwanese-German pair won 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 12-10 in 1 hour, 34 minutes. They were to play Thailand’s Peangtarn Plipuech and Eri Hozumi of Japan — who defeated Belgian pair Alison van Uytvanck and Greet Minnen 5-7, 6-3, 10-4 — in the final after press time last night.

  ICE HOCKEY

  Henrik Lundqvist retires

  Henrik Lundqvist, one of the greatest goaltenders of his generation, on Friday announced his retirement less than nine months after heart surgery. “It’s time,” the 39-year-old Lundqvist wrote in a social media post. “For the last 30 years, I have devoted my life to the game of hockey and now it’s time to walk away from the game I love and begin a new chapter.” The New York Rangers star told the Swedish language daily Goteborgs-Posten that he needs a new heart procedure. “We will see how extensive it will be,” he said. “Treatments are getting better, so we will see if they’ll open up the chest or not, but that will be a problem for the future.”

  SOCCER

  Final a ‘superspreader’

  The UEFA Euro 2020 final between England and Italy on July 11 was a “superspreader” event due to the level of COVID-19 infection found in or around London’s Wembley Stadium on the day, Public Health England said, citing data published on Friday. Public Health England said that 2,295 people were likely to have been infectious with a further 3,404 people potentially acquiring infection at the match. “Euro 2020 was a unique occasion and it is unlikely we would see a similar impact on COVID-19 cases from future events,” Public Health England deputy medical director Jenifer Smith said. “However, the data does show how easily the virus can spread when there is close contact and this should be a warning to us all as we try and return to a cautious normality once again.”

  MOTORSPORTS

  Marquez reflects on crash

  Honda’s six-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez feared he would not have “a normal arm” after a career-threatening crash last year, but the Spaniard said he is now fully focused on fighting his way back to his best form. Marquez fractured his arm in the season-opening Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez in July last year and did not race again until this year’s Portuguese GP in April. He said that the accident left him unable to hold a bottle of water months later. “I was afraid I would not have a normal arm,” he told the Guardian. “There was one point in October-November when I was not able to take a bottle of water, I was straining to eat, I was not able to move the arm in a normal way.”

  CRICKET

  Azam, Alam lead recovery

  Babar Azam missed out on a hundred, but Fawad Alam was not out and close to three figures after the pair lifted Pakistan from a horrific start to end day 1 of the second Test against the West Indies in relative comfort at 212-4 at Sabina Park on Friday. Babar’s composed 75 through almost five hours at the crease and Fawad’s typically pugnacious 76 before retiring hurt from severe leg cramps just after tea rescued the tourists from 3-2. Kemar Roach led the charge with the ball for the home side, taking 3-49 off 17 overs, striking in his first two overs of the match.
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