HOCKEY
Virus sidelines Islanders
The NHL on Saturday postponed the New York Islanders’ next two games due to a COVID-19 outbreak that hit the team. The Islanders said they potentially had eight unavailable players for yesterday’s road game against the New York Rangers. The NHL postponed the two games in consultation with the NHL Players Association and the Islanders’ medical personnel. The contest against the Rangers and a road game against the Philadelphia Flyers tomorrow would be rescheduled for later in the season, the NHL said. The Islanders are slated to host the San Jose Sharks on Thursday. The decision came after forward Casey Cizikas entered COVID-19 protocols on Saturday, which left the team with seven players in the protocol. Forward Josh Bailey was removed from protocol on Friday and was considered a game-time decision if yesterday’s contest had been played.
TENNIS
Serbia fall in shock defeat
Novak Djokovic and Nikola Cacic on Saturday lost a dramatic deciding tie-break in their doubles rubber as Serbia suffered a shock defeat by Germany in the Davis Cup Finals, while Daniil Medvedev helped the Russian Tennis Federation to an opening win. World No. 1 Djokovic had drawn Serbia level in their second group-stage tie by beating Jan-Lennard Struff after Filip Krajinovic’s loss to Dominik Koepfer. Germany would qualify for the quarter-finals from Group F if they beat Austria yesterday, which would leave Serbia waiting to see if they progress as one of the two best runners-up. The Russians, among the title favorites, made a perfect start to their campaign with a 3-0 victory over Ecuador. Italy became the first team to reach the last eight, backing up their win over the US by seeing off Colombia to wrap up the top spot in Group E.
ALPINE SKIING
Mayer wins at Lake Louise
Austrian double Olympic gold medalist Matthias Mayer on Saturday won the opening downhill race of the men’s World Cup season ahead of compatriot Vincent Kriechmayr and Switzerland’s Beat Feuz. It was a dominating start to the speed season by the Austrians, who placed three skiers in the first five and six in the top 16 at the iconic resort in the Canadian Rockies, signaling another fierce battle for coveted Olympic spots. Competing a day after the first downhill race of the week was called off because of too much snow, Mayer posted a time of 1 minute, 47.74 seconds to secure his 11th World Cup win. The 31-year-old Mayer has finished on the podium in each of his past six World Cup downhill appearances, a run that began with his triumph in Bormio in December last year.
BASKETBALL
Suns extend win streak to 16
Devin Booker on Saturday scored 30 points and the Phoenix Suns led wire-to-wire to easily beat the Brooklyn Nets 113-107 and extend their NBA winning streak to 16 games. The Suns have the second-longest winning streak in franchise history as they survived a late comeback by Brooklyn. They are trying to equal the 2006-2007 team, which holds the record of 17 straight wins. Booker did most of his damage in the first and third quarters, shooting nine of 18 from the floor overall and nailing four three-pointers in 32 minutes of playing time.
Taiwan’s men’s table tennis team won bronze on Saturday at this year’s International Table Tennis Federation World Team Table Tennis Championships in London, matching the country’s best-ever finish at the regular tournament. Consisting of Lin Yun-ju, Taiwan’s top-ranked player at world No. 7, Feng Yi-hsin, Kuo Guan-hong, Hong Jing-kai and Hsu Hsien-chia, the team won bronze after losing 0-3 to Japan in the semifinals. In the opening match, 24-year-old Lin played the first game against world No. 3 Tomokazu Harimoto 11-5, but ultimately lost the next three closely contested games 9-11, 10-12 and 10-12. Feng then faced world No. 8 Sora Matsushima in
Taiwanese fire dancer Yang Li-wei advanced to the final of Britain’s Got Talent this weekend after receiving a Golden Buzzer during her live semi-final performance. Yang, a member of Taiwan’s Coming True Fire Group, awed judges and audiences with a high-intensity fire performance featuring flaming umbrellas, fire swallowing and spinning metal structures balanced with her legs. Judge Simon Cowell praised Yang as a star, while guest judge KSI reacted with amazement before pressing the Golden Buzzer, sending her to the finals. The dance group wrote on social media that the Golden Buzzer was “the highest honor” on the talent show, adding: “Twenty-three years
Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke, 29, has died, the NBA team said in a statement on Tuesday, while the family of Jason Collins, the first openly gay man to play in a major US pro sports league, announced the former Grizzlies and Brooklyn Nets player had died after a battle with brain cancer. “We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke,” the Grizzlies said in a statement posted on social media. “Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten.” The statement did not provide
As Super Rugby fast approaches its playoff season it finds itself racing toward a reckoning with many issues that threaten the southern hemisphere tournament. A group of stakeholders met in the New Zealand city of Christchurch late last month to address problems that are making the future of the 31-year-old competition increasingly tenuous. The discussion was made more urgent by the decision by the owners of Moana Pasifika to fold the Auckland-based club for financial reasons. That followed the closure of the Melbourne Rebels at the end of the 2024 season, likewise because of financial difficulties. Problems addressed included player retention as more
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