CYCLING
Doull talks toilet breaks
Welshman Owain Doull on Monday said he is “loving” his maiden Tour de France experience, despite the lack of opportunities to “have a nature break” during the crowded opening stages in Denmark. This year’s Tour started in Copenhagen and continued in Denmark for two more days with spectators packing the roadsides in the cycling-mad country. “It was quite hard, because when you’re racing you end up with three or four chances to have a nature break, but when there’s not a meter of spare road you can’t pull up in front of a load of fans and have a number one,” Doull said during the Tour’s third and final rest day. “As soon as there was an odd section where there were no people, or a gap of no people then all the riders would be shooting off to alleviate themselves.”
TENNIS
Kasatkina says she is gay
Russian world No. 12 Daria Kasatkina criticized her country’s attitude toward homosexuality in a video published on Monday as she announced she is a lesbian. The 25-year-old’s comments came after Russian deputies the same day proposed a new law that would ban information on all non-traditional sexual relationships in the public sphere. Broadcasting homosexual “propaganda” to youngsters has been banned in the country since 2013. “There are many subjects that are even more important than it that are banned, so it’s no surprise,” she told Russian blogger Vitya Kravchenko after telling him that she has a girlfriend. “Living in peace with yourself is the only thing that matters; fuck everyone else,” Kasatkina said. “I believe it is important that influential people from sports, or any other sphere really speak about it. It is important for young people who have a hard time with society and need support.”
GOLF
Claret Jug fits two beers
British Open winner Cameron Smith has confirmed that the venerable Claret Jug trophy he won on Sunday can hold two beers. The Australian staged one of the greatest back-nine charges ever witnessed at a major championship to receive the trophy that has been handed to British Open winners since 1873. “I’m definitely gonna find out how many beers fit in this thing, that’s for sure,” Smith said when asked how he would be celebrating, later estimating he would have about 20 jugs’ worth. In an Instagram video filmed before he took the trophy back to his Florida home, Smith confirmed the results of his celebratory experiment. “I guess everyone’s been asking how many beers fit in the Claret Jug, it’s pretty much exactly two,” the 28-year-old said. “Yeah, had a good night last night with it. Cheers.”
E-SPORTS
Sam Kerr on ‘FIFA 23’ cover
Australian forward Sam Kerr is to be the first female player to feature on the global cover of Electronic Arts’ FIFA video game when the nearly three-decades-old franchise launches FIFA 23 this year, the game developer announced on Monday. Kerr, who plays for Women’s Super League (WSL) champions Chelsea, is to be featured alongside Paris Saint-Germain forward and France’s FIFA World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe. Kerr, 28, was the WSL’s top scorer last season with 20 goals in as many appearances. She has also scored 56 goals in 108 appearances for Australia since her debut in 2009 at the age of 15.
ANFIELD BLUES: Kylian Mbappe arrived at Anfield on a run of 21 goals in 17 games, but he managed just three attempts in the match, none of them hitting the target Kylian Mbappe has been nearly unstoppable this season, but he hit a roadblock in their UEFA Champions League match at Anfield on Tuesday. For the second year running, the Real Madrid forward had a night to forget at Merseyside as Liverpool won 1-0. Mbappe looked a shadow of the player who has been tearing defenses apart all season. “We were lacking that threat in the final third,” said Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, without naming Mbappe individually. The FIFA World Cup winner for France rarely looked capable of finding a breakthrough against a Liverpool team who have been so defensively fragile for much of the
LOCAL SUCCESS: In the doubles, Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia defeated Italians Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini in straight sets Elena Rybakina on Monday punched her ticket to the WTA Finals last four with an impressive 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 victory over second seed Iga Swiatek in round-robin play in Riyadh. After cruising past Amanda Anisimova in her opener on Saturday, Rybakina claimed her second win of the week to guarantee herself top spot in the Serena Williams Group. Anisimova on Monday rallied back from a set and a break down to triumph 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in her all-American battle with seventh seed Madison Keys, who has been eliminated from the competition. “Madi was playing so well, it was quite a battle out there,”
Erling Haaland on Sunday scored twice to propel Manchester City up to second in the English Premier League with a 3-1 win over AFC Bournemouth. The Cherries started the day in second thanks to the longest unbeaten run in the English top flight, but Andoni Iraola’s side were undone by the scintillating form of the Norwegian striker, who took his tally to 13 Premier League goals in 10 games. Haaland’s relentless streak is maintaining City’s title challenge as they reduced the gap to leaders Arsenal back to six points and edged one point ahead of Liverpool, who they face at the weekend. “Important
Yesterday morning in Japan began with a palpable buzz after the Los Angeles Dodgers announced Shohei Ohtani would start Game 7 of the World Series. By the time countryman Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered the final out, Tokyo was erupting with joy. “I am so proud today to be Japanese,” said cab driver Seiichiro Okada, who pulled his car to the side of the road to watch the ending. “To be able to watch these legends in real time is something else.” Ohtani had two hits and also pitched, while Yamamoto earned World Series Most Valuable Player after yet another stellar pitching performance as the
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