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.
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
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,
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
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
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