CRICKET
Sun Group buys team
The owners of Indian Premier League (IPL) side Sunrisers Hyderabad have paid just over ￡100 million (US$124 million) for full control of the Yorkshire franchise in English cricket’s Hundred competition, the BBC reported on Wednesday. The Sun Group are the third investors into the Hundred from the IPL, but the BBC said it was the first to buy a 100 percent stake in one of the eight franchises with their acquisition of the Northern Superchargers.
Photo: EPA-EFE
TENNIS
Bellucci beats Medvedev
Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci on Wednesday stunned former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev in three tough sets to reach the Rotterdam ATP quarter-finals. The 23-year-old left-hander, playing on a career-high ranking of 92, came through 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 to record a first win over a top-10 opponent. “It was a three-hour match and I really enjoyed every moment of it,” Bellucci said. “I really tried to do the best I could. I’m pretty tired, but I’m happy.” He next faces Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece or Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, who were to play after press time last night.
Photo: EPA-EFE
SOCCER
Neymar returns for Santos
Neymar on Wednesday took powerful shots from the edge of the box and ran above his own expectations in 52 minutes on the pitch for Santos in his first game for the Brazilian club since his return last week. Then he hit back at his former Al-Hilal coach, Jorge Jesus, who had cast doubts over Neymar’s form. The 33-year-old striker was not able to cap his night at Vila Belmiro Stadium with a win on his birthday — Santos drew 1-1 with Botafogo Ribeirao Preto, a team fighting relegation in the Sao Paulo state championship. “I need more minutes, more matches. I am not 100 percent, but I didn’t expect to run as much as I did tonight,” said Neymar, who is still recovering from ACL surgery. “I will be much better three, four games from now.” Neymar said his performance was also a response to the negative comments of his former coach. “I knew that I was going to show something different on the pitch,” he told Brazilian channel CazeTV at Vila Belmiro Stadium. “The pitch is the only place where I can defend myself from that criticism, those comments.”
SOCCER
NWSL creates US$5m fund
The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) on Wednesday agreed to create a US$5 million fund to compensate players who experienced abuse and continue implementing reforms to resolve investigations launched by attorneys general for New York, Illinois and Washington after players came forward with allegations of harassment and sexual misconduct. Players from across the US top-flight league went public in 2021 with allegations of misconduct by coaches and officials dating back more than 10 years. The attorneys general launched a joint investigation into the allegations in 2022, which they said revealed that the NWSL was “permeated by a culture of abuse.” It also showed some teams did not conduct background checks, which allowed coaches previously terminated for misconduct to be rehired by other teams. “Today is about righting these wrongs and protecting women in sports,” New York Attorney General Letitia James told a news conference.
College basketballer Kaitlyn Chen has become the first female player of Taiwanese descent to be drafted by a WNBA team, after the Golden State Valkyries selected her in the third and final round of the league’s draft on Monday. Chen, a point guard who played her first three seasons in college for Princeton University, transferred to the University of Connecticut (UConn) for her final season, which culminated in a national championship earlier this month. While at Princeton, Chen was named the Ivy League tournament’s most outstanding player three times from 2022 to last year. Prior to the draft, ESPN described Chen as
College basketballer Kaitlyn Chen (陳凱玲) has become the first player of Taiwanese descent to be drafted by a WNBA team, after being selected by the Golden State Valkyries in the third and final round of the league's draft yesterday. Chen, a point guard who played her first three seasons in college for Princeton University, transferred to the University of Connecticut (UConn) for her final season, which culminated in a national championship on April 6. While at Princeton, Chen was named the Ivy League tournament's most outstanding player three times from 2022 to last year. Prior to the draft, ESPN described Chen as a
Japan yesterday secured a second consecutive Billie Jean King Cup finals appearance with a 2-1 win over 2023 champions Canada, thanks to Ena Shibahara and Shuko Aoyama’s 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 win over Kayla Cross and Rebecca Marino in the qualifying doubles decider. Shibahara and Aoyama powered through the opening set 6-3, breaking twice for a quick 3-0 lead. Cross and Marino hit back in the second, edging it 7-5 to level the match, before the Japanese pair regained control in the third. Canada’s 18-year-old Victoria Mboko edged Shibahara 6-4, 6-7 (8/10), 7-5 in a marathon opening clash. Mboko fired eight aces to
DAY OF BLOWOUTS: Elsewhere, the Lakers clinched the third seed in the Western Conference with a 140-109 pounding of the under-strength Houston Rockets The Denver Nuggets on Friday improved their playoff position, with a triple double from Nikola Jokic helping them to a 117-109 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. The Serbian put up 26 points, 13 assists and 16 rebounds. The triple-double performance, his 34th this season, ensured that he will finish the regular season as just the third NBA player to average a triple double across an entire season. The win meant the Nuggets improved to 49-32 on the season and gave them a real chance of grabbing fourth place and home-court advantage in the playoffs. Aaron Gordon top scored with 33 points for Denver,
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