BASKETBALL
Kanter to gain ‘Freedom’
Enes Kanter, the Boston Celtics center from Turkey, was planning to change his name to Enes Kanter Freedom after he gained US citizenship yesterday, The Athletic sports Web site reported. Kanter, 29, has long been a vocal critic of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, dubbing him the “Hitler of our century” in 2017. He has not reserved his criticism for Turkey, condemning the human rights record of China, while earlier this month voicing support for Taiwan.
FORMULA ONE
Ecclestone recalls Williams
Former Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone paid tribute to the late Frank Williams as a pioneer who helped to build the modern sport. Williams, who had been quadriplegic since a 1986 car accident in France, died on Sunday aged 79, his family said in a statement. The eponymous team he founded, still the second-most successful in terms of constructors’ championships and third-oldest, was sold to Dorilton Capital last year. Williams came from an era where title-winning teams were run by their founders, men such as Enzo Ferrari and Ken Tyrrell. “Without those type of people I doubt whether Formula One would have still been going now. Probably Ferrari would have stopped and that would have been it,” 91-year-old Ecclestone said. He recalled Williams as an old friend who got over life’s financial and physical obstacles with charm and determination. “Frank was a little bit special as a person, and that sort of showed in the way he kept going,” he said. “Things were never really bad as far as Frank was concerned, he never complained about things. He got on with things the best way he could, and that’s the reason he was so successful. He was a racer through and through.”
TENNIS
Spain out of Davis Cup
Russia on Sunday knocked reigning champion Spain out of the Davis Cup to set up a quarter-final against Sweden. The Russians’ tie against the depleted Spanish team came down to a late-night doubles encounter in Madrid. Aslan Karatsev and world No. 5 Andrey Rublev won 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 against Marcel Granollers and Feliciano Lopez to win Group A and deprive the Spanish team of the chance to play in front of a home crowd in Madrid on Thursday. Karatsev and Rublev, playing under the name the Russian Tennis Federation because of sanctions against Russian sport for doping, made a bad start to the tie when Lopez beat Rublev 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the opening singles rubber. US Open champion Daniil Medvedev stepped up to bring the tie level with a 6-2, 7-6 (7/3) win over Pablo Carreno Busta, before the doubles decided the match.
ICE HOCKEY
Toronto tie team record
Michael Bunting, Alexander Kerfoot and William Nylander each had a goal and an assist, and the Toronto Maple Leafs completed their most successful month in franchise history by beating the Anaheim Ducks 5-1 on Sunday night. The Maple Leafs went 12-2-0 this month, becoming the eighth NHL team to win 12 games in November. Toronto also tied a franchise record with its seventh straight road victory. The team also had seven straight road wins in the 1940-1941, 1960-1961 and 2002-2003 seasons. “The mood in the room is upbeat, everyone’s happy, so it’s really fun to be a part of,” Bunting said.
Taiwan’s top women’s badminton doubles duo, Hsieh Pei-shan (謝沛珊) and Hung En-tzu (洪恩慈), achieved a straight-sets victory over Japan’s Kaho Osawa and Mayui Tanabe at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 300 Macau Open on Sunday. The Taiwanese pair won the final 21-18, 21-12, marking the duo’s second title this year after their win at the BWF Super 300 Taipei Open in May. The match on Sunday was their first encounter with the Japanese duo, ranked No. 63 in the world. Hsieh and Hung, ranked No. 12, began the opening game well. Hung, who plays left-handed, performed strongly at both the net and the
Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko upset top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday night to reach the National Bank Open quarter-finals. “Your support was incredible,” Mboko told the crowd in French after a chorus of “Ole, Ole, Ole” chants echoed around the venue. “I’m really happy to win today ... It’s incredible. I’m so happy to beat such a great champion.” Gauff dropped to 2-3 since winning the French Open. She followed the major victory with opening losses in Berlin and Wimbledon, then overcame double-fault problems to win two three-set matches in Montreal. Gauff had five double-faults on Saturday after having 23 in
Jobe Bellingham on Tuesday admitted to having “anxieties” on following in brother Jude’s footsteps after joining Borussia Dortmund in the summer. Jobe Bellingham, 19, is two years younger than Jude Bellingham, who joined Real Madrid in 2023 after three years at Dortmund. A centerpiece of the England national team, Jude Bellingham has emerged as one of the best players in the world in recent seasons. The younger Jobe Bellingham joined Dortmund in June from Sunderland after their promotion to the English Premier League. He admitted he understood what the perception would be ahead of the move to Germany. “It’s something you do think about.
Before Tuesday’s 7-2 win at the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy suggested “most people couldn’t tell you five players on our team.” A look at the standings would indicate more Brewers players soon will be recognized by more fans. After all, it is difficult to overlook a team that not only continues to extend their lead in the National League Central, but also boasts the best record in the majors. “What we’re doing in here right now is special,” right-handed pitcher Freddy Peralta said after allowing only four hits and one run in five innings, while setting a career high with
RSS