TENNIS
Taiwan’s Chan loses in final
Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching and Veronika Kudermetova of Russia yesterday lost 4-6, 6-3 (10/8) to Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez in the final at the Bad Homburg Open in Germany. They advanced to the final at the 802,237 euro (US$860,038) grass-court event by defeating Xu Yifan of China and Kazakhstan’s Anna Danilina 6-3, 6-2 in their semi-final on Friday.
Photo: AFP
GOLF
Taiwan pair share lead
Cheng Ssu-chia and Hsu Wei-ling of Taiwan on Friday carded a bogey-free 63 with one eagle and five birdies as they moved into a five-way share of the lead at the midpoint of the Dow Championship in Midland, Michigan. The LPGA pairs tournament has a 72-hole stroke-play format with alternating rounds of foursomes and four-ball.
Photo: AFP
BASKETBALL
Leagues to showcase talent
Taiwan’s P.League+ and T1 League yesterday said that they would hold a joint combine in New Taipei City on Wednesday ahead of a looming merger. The player showcase event is to take place at National Taiwan University of Art, with 40 Taiwanese and eight foreign students from local universities to display their abilities to the two leagues’ 11 franchises, the leagues said in a statement. The leagues have agreed to merge and are still in talks over the date of the summer draft, they said.
RUGBY UNION
Singapore beat Thailand
Singapore yesterday won the opening match at the Unions Cup — which also features Taiwan — beating Thailand 29-8 at Jurong West Stadium in Singapore. Taiwan’s first game is against Thailand at 5pm on Tuesday and their second in the three-team tournament is against the hosts at 7pm on Friday.
ATHLETICS
Thompson runs 9.77s
Kishane Thompson on Friday registered a world-leading mark of 9.77 seconds to win the men’s 100m at the Jamaican Olympic trials, becoming the joint-ninth-fastest man in history. Thompson told reporters that he believes he can go faster. “My coach instructed me just to run the first 60 meter, nothing more, after that, shut it down,” he said. “If I came second or third, I would’ve made the team. The goal wasn’t to prove anything tonight, just run the 70 or 60 meters and see where I was.”
BASEBALL
‘Baby Bull’ dies
Orlando Cepeda, the slugging first baseman nicknamed “Baby Bull” who became a Hall of Famer among the early Puerto Ricans to star in the major leagues, has died. He was 86. The San Francisco Giants and his family announced the death on Friday and a moment of silence was held as his photograph showed on the scoreboard at Oracle Park midway throughout their game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. “Our beloved Orlando passed away peacefully at home this evening, listening to his favorite music and surrounded by his loved ones,” his wife, Nydia, said in a statement released through the team. “We take comfort that he is at peace.” He played for the Giants from 1958 to 1966, and also had time with the St Louis Cardinals (1966-1968), the Atlanta Braves (1969-1972), the Oakland Athletics (1972), the Boston Red Sox (1973) and the Kansas City Royals (1974).
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Shohei Ohtani on Thursday delivered his first two-homer game of the season and had six RBIs as the Los Angeles Dodgers poured it on with five long balls in a 19-2 victory over the visiting Athletics. Max Muncy, Andy Pages and James Outman also hit home runs for the Dodgers, who left no doubt by taking a 13-2 lead following a seven-run third inning. Muncy and Kim Hye-seong each had three hits for Los Angeles. Dodgers right-hander Matt Sauer led off a bullpen game by allowing two runs in four innings. Left-hander Justin Wrobleski (1-1) finished with four scoreless innings after he
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