TENNIS
Taiwan defeat HK
Taiwan beat Hong Kong three matches to one in their Davis Cup World Group II tie in Taipei over the weekend to qualify for the World Group I playoffs next year. Taiwan’s national tennis squad topped Hong Kong 3-6, 7-6 (7-1), 7-6 (7-5) in the doubles and 6-1, 6-2 in the singles yesterday after finishing with one game apiece on Saturday at Taipei Tennis Center. Ray Ho and Hsu Hsiao-yu defeated Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong and Wong Chun Hun in a doubles matchup that lasted 52 minutes, while Wu Tung-lin overpowered Wong in 41 minutes in the singles yesterday. In a major upset on Saturday, Wong beat Jason Jung, ranked 601 places above Wong, 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10-8) to give Hong Kong an early lead in the tie. However, Wu evened the field by beating Wong Hong Kit 6-2, 6-2.
TABLE TENNIS
Taiwan pair wins doubles
Taiwanese paddlers Lin Yun-ju and Chen Szu-yu on Saturday beat China’s Xu Haidong and Wu Yangchen 3-2 in the mixed doubles final at the WTT Contender Almaty in Kazakhstan, while Lin and Liao Cheng-ting routed Kazakhstan’s Denis Zholudev and Sagantay Kurmambayev 3-0 in the men’s doubles semi-finals. The world No. 24 Taiwanese men’s doubles duo defeated Zholudev and Kurmambayev 11-2, 11-8, 11-8 in 14 minutes. It is the second time the Taiwanese pairing have reached a final this season. They were yesterday to face Anton Kallberg and Mattias Falck of Sweden in the final.
BASKETBALL
Taiwan tournament starts
The Hsinchu JKO Lioneers beat Taiwan Beer 97-90 on Saturday, the opening day of Taiwan’s first interleague tournament, featuring 12 teams from the Super Basketball League (SBL), the T1 League and the P.League+. In the day’s other games, the PLG Rising Stars defeated Changhua BLL 88-69, while the Taiwan Beer Herobears topped the Yulon Luxgen Dinos 92-69 and the CTBC DEA overpowered the Taoyuan Leopards 94-62. The Interleague Play tournament, organized by the CTBA and held at Taipei’s Heping Basketball Gymnasium, runs until Tuesday next week. It was designed to fill the slot of the Taipei-hosted international invitational William Jones Cup, which was called off for the third consecutive year due to COVID-19 border restrictions.
SOCCER
Pogba’s brother charged
The elder brother of Juventus’ Paul Pogba has been charged and detained over the alleged extortion of the French star, a source close to the case said on Saturday. “We are going to challenge this decision,” Mathias Pogba’s lawyer, Yassine Bouzrou, told French broadcaster BFMTV, adding that his client had committed no criminal offense. A judicial source said that four other people being held and questioned over the case, aged between 27 and 36, had also been charged and detained. The five have been held in custody since Tuesday and Wednesday. Mathias Pogba, 32, has admitted to being behind a bizarre video published online on Aug. 27 promising “great revelations” about the French national team member. The four others are all close to the Pogba brothers. Paul Pogba had filed a complaint with Turin prosecutors on July 16, saying he was the target of a 13 million euro (US$13.02 million) blackmail plot.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely