The opening game at the baseball World Cup, which was to take place in Taipei yesterday, has been postponed because of heavy rain, organizers said.
The Taiwan-Italy match has been rescheduled for Monday, but yesterday's opening ceremony was to go on as scheduled, with 10 of the 16 teams participating to attend, organizers said.
Cuba are looking to clinch a 10th successive title at the 37th World Cup. It has had a stranglehold on the tournament since its inception, winning 25 of the 28 tournaments it has competed in, including the last nine.
"Their odds of successfully defending the championship are pretty high," tournament spokesman Jabbar Chia said.
Most of the players in this year's squad also took part in last year's World Baseball Classic, when Cuba finished second to Japan, Chia said.
He said Cuba's chances had received an additional boost from Japan, which has left several of its stars behind in preparation for Olympic qualifying next month.
But the Cubans will be facing stiff competition from the US, which has a number of players who have been in the US Major Leagues on the roster.
Cuba's first match-up in the 16-team competition is against Australia today.
Pool A groups Japan, the US and Panama, who are expected to easily advance to the next round, along with contenders Taiwan, Italy and Mexico, who will have to battle it out for a fourth spot.
In Pool B, Australia, the Netherlands and Venezuela are considered strong contenders alongside Cuba.
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
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