TENNIS
Taiwanese exits Zhengzhou
Taiwan’s Latisha Chan and Norwegian partner Ulrikke Eikeri yesterday crashed out of the women’s doubles on the first day of the Zhengzhou Open in China. Chan and Eikeri lost 4-6, 6-1, 10-6 to Japan’s Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara in 1 hour, 23 minutes. Chan’s sister, Chan Hao-ching, and Mexico’s Giuliana Olmos are today to play Japan’s Miyu Kato and Indonesia’s Aldila Sutjiadi in their first-round match at the tournament. Meanwhile, at the Hana Bank Korean Open in Seoul, Taiwan’s Liang En-shuo yesterday exited in the first round of the women’s singles with a 6-3, 6-4 loss to Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer. At the Prudential Hong Kong Tennis Open, Taiwan’s Yang Ya-yi is today to play Russia’s Sofya Lansere in the women’s singles.
CRICKET
India welcome ‘big side’ win
India spinner Ravindra Jadeja on Sunday said that victory over a “big side” like Australia has given the team more confidence at the start of the World Cup. The hosts defeated five-time winners Australia by six wickets at Chennai in both teams’ first match of the tournament. Jadeja’s 3-28 off his left-arm spin helped dismiss Australia for 199, a total India achieved with 52 balls to spare, but only after top-order wobble when they lost three wickets for just two runs. “It feels nice to beat a big side and the confidence is good,” Jadeja told reporters.
SOCCER
Firecracker tossed at goalie
A Ligue 1 game between Montpellier Herault and Clermont was abandoned after a firecracker was thrown at visiting goalkeeper Mory Diaw. Television footage showed a firecracker landing next to the feet of Diaw and exploding with a loud bang, just as the match was entering stoppage time. A clearly stunned Diaw went down and needed treatment before being stretchered off, and the game was halted before being abandoned following a crisis meeting. “The doctor who examined the Clermont goalkeeper certified that he was not in a condition to return to the field. The match is therefore halted definitively,” referee Florent Batta told reporters at the Stade de la Mosson. Montpellier were leading 4-2 and on course for their first home win of the season until the incident, and now risk serious punishment with the prospect of having to replay the game without their fans at the very least. A police spokesman said that the suspected perpetrator had been arrested. “We are disgusted, disappointed and sad,” Montpellier president Laurent Nicollin said, adding that the actions of one individual “could penalize the whole team.”
FOOTBALL
Niners thrash Cowboys
George Kittle on Sunday scored a hat-trick of touchdowns as the San Francisco 49ers maintained their perfect start to the season with a 42-10 thrashing of the Dallas Cowboys. Niners quarterback Brock Purdy finished with four touchdowns and 252 passing yards from 17-of-24 attempts. Three of those touchdowns came via Kittle, the giant tight end hauling in a 19-yard reception for the game’s opening score on the first drive. A clever trick play in the second quarter ended with Purdy picking out Kittle in space down the right-hand side, Kittle racing 38 yards to score. “When you don’t get tackled, it’s awesome — I’m going to wake up tomorrow feeling great,” Kittle joked after the win.
BOUNCE BACK: Curry scored 46 points in the Warriors’ victory over the Spurs, after ‘everybody stepped up’ following Tuesday’s blowout loss to Oklahoma City Nikola Jokic scoring 50 or more points had never been enough for the Denver Nuggets to win — until now. Jokic on Wednesday night tied the highest-scoring performance in the NBA this season with 55 points, as the Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Clippers 130-116 for their sixth straight victory. The Nuggets were 0-4 in his previous 50-point outbursts. “It’s a good feeling,” the three-time NBA Most Valuable Player said. He equaled Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had 55 in a double-overtime game at the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 23. Jokic has been on a roll during Denver’s winning streak. He is the
The tri-nation Twenty20 international series featuring hosts Pakistan, as well as Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, is to be played entirely in Rawalpindi from Tuesday next week, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said yesterday, after this week’s suicide bombing in the capital, Islamabad. The change came after at least eight Sri Lankan players asked to leave over security fears following Tuesday’s bombing that killed 12 people and wounded 27. Their country’s cricket board issued a stern directive to the team to stay put or face consequences. Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said the decision to stay was taken after “close consultations” with hosts Pakistan who
France’s Kevin Aymoz snatched the men’s title at Skate America on Saturday, winning his first grand prix title with a battling free skate, while short program leader Kazuki Tomono faltered. It was an emotional triumph for Aymoz, who made his grand prix level debut in 2017, with seven prior podium finishes, but no gold. He had struggled with a painful foot injury since a disappointing 10th-place finish at Skate Canada last month. “It was so difficult,” the 28-year-old said. “After Skate Canada I wanted to give up so much and today I’m here and it’s so beautiful to be with my friends competing
Australian restaurant chain Grill’d has made a cheeky apology for putting a “curse” on Oscar Piastri’s Formula One title hopes with their offer of a free burger for every time the McLaren driver gets on the podium. The Melbourne native has not finished in the top three since the promotion relaunched five races ago, losing the championship lead to teammate Lando Norris and now 24 points behind. Online conspiracy theorists have been quick to put two and two together. The chain’s Piastri 81 Burger debuted ahead of the Australian Grand Prix in March, with his endorsement, and was relaunched in September after he
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