TENNIS
Hsieh advances in Madrid
Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Latvian partner Jelena Ostapenko yesterday advanced to the women’s doubles semi-finals at the Madrid Open, in their return to the court after a power outage on Monday forced the delay of numerous matches. Third seeds Hsieh and Ostapenko beat Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia and Germany’s Laura Siegemund 7-5, 6-3 in their quarter-final. The Taiwanese-Lativian duo are next to play the winners of Romania’s Sorana Cirstea and Anna Kalinskaya of Russia against Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic and Denmark’s Clara Tauson, which was to be played after press time last night.
SOCCER
Li Tie loses bribery appeal
Former English Premier League midfielder Li Tie has lost his appeal against a 20-year prison sentence for bribery, a Chinese court said yesterday. A lower court jailed the former China coach in December last year, snaring one of the country’s best-known soccer figures in a sweeping government crackdown on corruption in sports. The Hubei Provincial Higher People’s Court said in a statement that it had rejected Li’s appeal and ruled to uphold his original jail term. He was found guilty of a string of offenses relating to giving and receiving bribes. The 47-year-old represented his country nearly 100 times and moved to Everton in 2002. After retiring from playing, he served as national team coach from January 2020 to December 2021.
ICE HOCKEY
No charges after on-ice death
A man arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the death of the Nottingham Panthers’ Adam Johnson has been told he would not face any charges, British prosecutors said on Tuesday. Johnson, a 33-year-old Canadian, died shortly after his neck had been sliced in a collision with Sheffield Steelers defenseman Matt Petgrave during an Elite Ice Hockey League game on Oct. 28, 2023. A man was arrested two weeks later and although South Yorkshire Police did not publicly identify him, Petgrave himself said in a crowdfunding appeal for legal fees that he was the subject of a police investigation. On Tuesday, the Crown Prosecution Service announced it would not bring criminal charges against the man arrested following what it described as “a shocking and deeply upsetting incident.”
BASKETBALL
Doncic pays to restore mural
Luka Doncic has stepped up to pay the entire expected cost of restoring a vandalized mural depicting Kobe and Gigi Bryant in downtown Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Lakers’ new guard on Tuesday donated US$5,000 to cover the entire goal of a GoFundMe page created by artist Louie Palsino. He wants to restore the mural, titled Mambas Forever, at 14th and Main streets. “It was always important to give back to the community,” Doncic said after practice at the Lakers’ training complex. “They gave me so much, so I just want to give back.” The Slovenian superstar joined the Lakers less than three months ago in a blockbuster trade with the Dallas Mavericks. Kobe Bryant spent his entire 20-year career with the Lakers, winning five championships and becoming the top scorer in franchise history. After Kobe and Gigi Bryant died in a helicopter crash in January 2020, hundreds of murals and public art projects honoring them sprung up around southern California.
While British star Jack Draper spent the past week trying to find rhythm and comfort in his first grass tournament of the season at the Queen’s Club Championships in London, Jiri Lehecka on Saturday bulldozed everything in his path. After more than two furious hours of battle, their form was reflected in the final scoreline as Lehecka toppled a frustrated Draper, the second seed, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 to reach the biggest final of his career, against Carlos Alcaraz. Lehecka is also the first Czech to reach the men’s title match at Queen’s since Ivan Lendl lifted the trophy in 1990. Draper, who
REUNION: Former Barcelona players Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Miami coach Javier Mascherano are to face their former coach Luis Enrique Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi faces a tantalizing reunion with former club Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup last 16 after both sides on Monday progressed to the knockout phase. Miami drew 2-2 with Palmeiras to go through second in Group A, after the Brazilian side fought back from two goals down to seal top spot. They now face an all-Brazil clash against Botafogo, who lost 1-0 to Atletico Madrid, but progressed from Group B in second at the expense of the Spaniards. Champions of Europe PSG won the group with a 2-0 victory over Seattle Sounders, paving the
Dale Earnhardt Jr might already be NASCAR’s most popular crew chief. He is certainly an undefeated one. Pressed into unexpected service, Earnhardt on Saturday called the shots for 18-year-old prospect Connor Zilisch in the No. 88 Chevrolet, as they landed in victory lane in the second-tier Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway. “It felt good to have some input and decisionmaking power,” Earnhardt said. “And then helping Connor understand what our plan was so he knew when to push and what he was expected to do.” Earnhardt — who won NASCAR’s most-popular driver award 15 times — made a pit stop from his
Taiwanese women’s doubles star Hsieh Su-wei and Australian teenager Maya Joint on Tuesday eased into the Eastbourne Open quarter-finals in England as Hsieh prepares for the Wimbledon Championships next week. Four-time Wimbledon women’s doubles champion Hsieh and 19-year-old Joint fired two aces and converted five of eight break points to defeat Japan’s Shuko Aoyama and Poland’s Katarzyna Piter 6-3, 6-3 in 58 minutes on the grass court. Hsieh and Joint are today to face fourth seeds Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic and Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko, who advanced on Monday with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Quinn Gleason of the US and
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