TENNIS
Taiwan’s Liang advances
Taiwan’s Liang En-shuo and partner Yang Zhaoxuan of China on Wednesday advanced to the quarter-finals at the Linz Open at Intersport Arena Linz in Austria. The Taiwanese-Chinese duo defeated Irina Khromacheva of Russia and Mexico’s Giuliana Olmos 7-5, 3-6, 10-6 at the 1,049,083 euro (US$1.23 million) indoor, red clay event to set up a match against Maia Lumsden of the UK and Japan’s Makoto Ninomiyae.
Photo: AP
BOXING
Taiwan’s Lin targets gold
Lin Yu-ting’s coach said that the Olympic champion would target Asian Games gold after stepping up in weight and winning bronze in her first event since the Paris Olympics. Lin, who won gold at 57kg at the 2024 Games, was cleared last month by World Boxing to resume competition at the Asian Elite Championships in Ulan Bator after passing a gender test. Lin reached the semi-finals of the 60kg class, but lost to North Korea’s Won Un-gyong. Her coach, Tseng Tzu-chiang, told reporters that Lin would aim for a second Asian Games gold in Japan later this year after a comeback “breakthrough” this week, having won the 57kg class in Hangzhou in 2023. “Changing weight class is inherently a challenge. Having new competitors is a great way to challenge yourself,” Tseng said in a phone interview from Mongolia. “It’s definitely a fantastic opportunity because we’ve never encountered any opponents in this weight class before. It’s a breakthrough.”
SOCCER
Chris Wood to return
Chris Wood is set to return from his lengthy injury spell in a big boost for New Zealand ahead of the FIFA World Cup, as well as for his Premier League club, Nottingham Forest. The 34-year-old has been sidelined since October last year due to a knee injury. He underwent surgery in December last year. His return was confirmed by Forest coach Vitor Pereira in a news conference ahead of the club’s UEFA Europa League quarter-final match against Porto, which was to be played after press time last night. “He’s started training with the team and is available for the game,” Pereira said on Wednesday. Wood is the All Whites’ record goalscorer with 45.
BASEBALL
Soler, Lopez sanctioned
Los Angeles Angels outfielder-designated hitter Jorge Soler has been suspended for seven games and fined an undisclosed amount, while Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez agreed to a reduced five-game suspension and fine due to the fight that led to their ejections in the fifth inning of Tuesday’s 7-2 Atlanta win in Anaheim, California. MLB initially suspended Lopez for seven games, via its announcement on Wednesday, before the discipline was later reduced to five. Soler’s suspension was scheduled to begin with Wednesday’s series finale, but he appealed, meaning it would be paused until the appeal is resolved. Soler, who hit a two-run homer in the first inning and was struck by a pitch on his left hand in the third, took exception to a high and inside fifth-inning fastball that glanced off the glove of catcher Jonah Heim and bounced to the backstop, enabling Nolan Schanuel, who had walked, to advance to second, sparking the melee.
NO HARD FEELINGS: Taiwan’s Lin Hsiang-ti and Indonesia’s Dhinda Amartya Pratiwi embraced after fighting to a tense and rare 30-29 final game in their Uber Cup match The Taiwanese men’s team on Wednesday fought back from the brink of elimination to defeat Denmark in Group C and advance to the quarter-finals of the Thomas Cup, while the women’s team were to face South Korea after press time last night in the Uber Cup quarter-finals in Horsens, Denmark. In the first match, Taiwan’s top shuttler Chou Tien-chen faced a familiar opponent in world No. 3 Anders Antonsen. It was their 16th head-to-head matchup, with the Dane taking his fourth victory in a row against former world No. 2 Chou, winning 21-14, 13-21, 21-15 in 1 hour, 22 minutes. The
Jannik Sinner continued his quest to become the first man in history to win five Masters 1000 tournaments in a row with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Danish qualifier Elmer Moller at the Madrid Open on Sunday. The world leader extended his winning streak to 19 matches, a run that began early March in Indian Wells, and he has captured 24 consecutive victories at the Masters 1000 level, dating back to the Paris Masters last October. Searching for a maiden title at this level on clay, Sinner advanced to the round of 16 at the Caja Magica with a 77-minute performance against
Tennis players are facing an unexpected opponent at the Madrid Open. A stomach virus or food poisoning has affected Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Marin Cilic and others, raising concerns. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka avoided an upset by Naomi Osaka on the court on Monday and said she is trying to avoid illness by sticking to a diet of chicken breasts, rice and salad. The rumor among the players was bad shrimp tacos were to blame. Sabalenka knocked on wood for luck and said, “So far, so good. I heard that I have to avoid those tacos,” she laughed, adding “I stick to the
Kite-surfing fabrics, car tires and shortened shoelaces helped Kenyan Sabastian Sawe and Adidas crack the two-hour marathon barrier. When Sawe on Sunday shattered one of athletics’ most elusive barriers in storming to victory at the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes, 30 seconds, it did not come from just physiology and grit, but from design choices drawn from far beyond the course. Sawe debuted Adidas’ lightest-ever racing shoe, the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3. “It starts with the mentality of the athlete, the coach, and the team behind the product, which is: What can we do better? What is the 1 percent
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