BADMINTON
Taiwan’s Chou advances
Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen yesterday advanced to the second round at the Singapore Open after defeating Jonatan Christie of Indonesia 21-17, 21-6. Chou is to play Canada’s Brian Yang today for a place in the quarter-finals. There was success for Taiwanese in doubles play as well. In the men’s doubles, Lee Fang-chih and Lee Fang-jen eliminated Danish pair Rasmus Kjaer and Frederik Sogaard 21-18, 21-16, while in an all-Taiwan encounter Lee Yang and Wang Chi-lin eliminated Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan 21-12, 12-21, 21-12. In the mixed doubles Yang and Hu Ling-fang beat Japan’s Yuta Watanabe and Arisa Higashino 13-21, 21-15, 21-17.
BASEBALL
Taipei Dome to host games
Taiwan are to play all five of their Group B games in the Premier12 tournament in November at the Taipei Dome, the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) said. After the Group B opener featuring Japan and Australia in Nagoya on Nov. 13, Taiwan are to host South Korea the next day, the schedule of the WBSC’s flagship tournament showed yesterday. The opener at the Vantelin Dome in Nagoya is the only Group B game not to take place in Taiwan. Taiwan are also to play the Dominican Republic on Nov. 14, Japan on Nov. 16, Australia on Nov. 17 and Cuba on Nov. 18. The game on Nov. 15 between Japan and South Korea, who were champions at the previous two editions of the Premier12, is the only non-Taiwan game being played at the Taipei Dome. The other eight games are to be held at Tianmu Stadium in Taipei. World No. 2 Mexico are to host Group A, which includes the Netherlands, Panama, Puerto Rico, the US and Venezuela, from Nov. 9 to 14. The top two teams in the two six-team groups advance to the Super Round in Japan.
SOCCER
Jorn Andersen quits HK
Norwegian Jorn Andersen, who took Hong Kong to their first Asian Cup finals in 56 years, yesterday quit as coach to take up an offer elsewhere. The 61-year-old, whose CV includes a stint as boss of North Korea, confirmed rumors of his departure at an emotional news conference in the territory. “I have recently received an invitation from a club outside [Hong Kong] that presents an opportunity I simply cannot refuse,” said Andersen, who had about a year left on his contract. “It is with great regret that I now bid farewell to the Hong Kong football scene.” Local media reported that Andersen might be headed to a club in mainland China.
GOLF
Tai to play US Masters
Young amateur golfer Hiroshi Tai is to be the first Singaporean to play in the US Masters after he won the national college championship in the US. The 22-year-old, who studies at Georgia Tech, won the NCAA Individual Men’s Championship in California on Monday by one stroke to earn a place at Augusta in April next year and a major debut at next month’s US Open at Pinehurst. “It means a lot,” the amateur world No. 70 Tai told the Golf Channel after surviving a late triple-bogey on his way to a one-under 71 in the final round. “All the guys in the team have really helped me a lot.”
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
Mathys Tel was hero and villain as Tottenham drew 1-1 at home to Leeds United on Monday — a result that leaves their English Premier League future hanging in the balance. The Frenchman broke the deadlock early in the second half to ease the tension at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but then gave away a penalty with a reckless attempted clearance. In the dying minutes, Spurs were grateful to Antonin Kinsky, who produced an astonishing save to deny the visitors a win. Tottenham are now two points clear of 18th-placed West Ham United with just two games left this season. The
Houston Astros right-hander Teng Kai-wei, the only active Taiwanese pitcher in MLB, on Sunday suffered his third loss of the season, throwing a season-high 63 pitches in his second start of the year. Teng allowed three earned runs over three innings on five hits in the Astros’ 5-0 road loss to the Cincinnati Reds. He struck out one, walked one, and hit one batter among the 15 hitters he faced, raising his earned run average to 3.12. It was the Astros’ second attempt to use the 27-year-old Taiwanese as a starter, after he had established himself as a reliable bullpen
‘DONE IT ALL’: LeBron James is now out of contract with the Lakers and would head into the off season as a free agent with uncertainty swirling around his future LeBron James on Monday said he would take time to consider his future after the Los Angeles Lakers were swept out of the NBA playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder in what could turn out to be the final game of his career. James, 41, delivered a typically defiant performance with 24 points and 12 rebounds, but it was not enough to prevent the Lakers from falling 115-110 as the Thunder completed a 4-0 sweep in the Western Conference semi-finals series. The four-time NBA champion is now out of contract with the Lakers and would head into the off season
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