SOCCER
Maradona leaves hospital
Argentine great Diego Maradona was released from the hospital after being admitted earlier on Friday with internal bleeding in the stomach, which was discovered during routine examinations, his daughter Dalma said. “For those who were really worried about my dad I can tell you that he is well,” Dalma wrote on Twitter. “He is going home soon.” The 58-year-old was having a routine medical in his homeland before returning to Mexico, where he is coach of second-division side Dorados de Sinaloa, when doctors discovered the problem. However, a source close to the family told reporters that the problem was not serious and that the former Boca Juniors, SSC Napoli and Barcelona midfielder was not in any danger. Another source said that Maradona might have to undergo more tests. The news came just hours after Maradona’s lawyer confirmed that he would coach in Mexico for a second consecutive season. Maradona took over at struggling Dorados de Sinaloa in September and got them into the playoffs, where they lost to Atletico San Luis.
SOCCER
Broke team losing players
Spain’s players’ association on Friday joined the players of second-division team Reus in asking the nation’s soccer federation to postpone their next match because of the club’s critical financial situation. Reus only has 12 players because their former teammates left after not having been paid for more than three months, thereby freeing them from their contracts. US defender Shaq Moore, who was on loan from La Liga’s Levante UD, was one of those who left. Reus last month said that it had found the money to play its players, but four have since left. The players have blamed the situation on majority stakeholder Joan Oliver.
SOCCER
Greek referee strike ends
Greek Super League referees on Friday said that they are ending their strike protesting an attack on one of their colleagues last month. The move came after a meeting representatives of the referees held with government officials, the Hellenic Football Federation and the league in which the referees received assurances for their safety. Greek Cup matches are to resume on Tuesday and the Super League on Saturday after weekend matches were twice postponed.
GOLF
Woodland leads in Hawaii
Gary Woodland on Friday reeled off five successive birdies en route to a second straight 67 that gave him a three-shot lead at the halfway point of the PGA Tour’s Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii. After a frustrating front nine, Woodland kicked off his birdie run with a chip-in at the 11th and capped his day with another birdie at the par-five 18th to move to 12-under-par 134 at the Kapalua Plantation course. Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy shot a 68 for a share of second place on nine-under alongside Bryson DeChambeau (68) and Kevin Tway (71). Defending champion Dustin Johnson (74) plunged seven shots behind after a round that included a double-bogey at the fourth hole where he incurred a two-stroke penalty for hitting the wrong ball. Woodland said his patience had been tested on a day that started extremely windy. Overnight leader Tway, who shot a 66 on Thursday despite a sinus infection and earache, said he felt much better after sleeping more than 12 hours, although his second round was five shots worse than the first.
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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