TENNIS
Federer eyes Australia
Roger Federer is practicing pain-free after undergoing two knee surgeries this year and said that he expects to return to the circuit at the Australian Open in January. The 39-year-old Swiss reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park at the start of the year, but missed the rest of the season after undergoing a second arthroscopic procedure on his right knee. “I’m on the right track,” he told German-language magazine Schweizer Illustrierte. “I’m gradually coming back, but I’m going to take my time and don’t want to put any pressure on myself. I will only take part in a tournament when I am 100 percent fit. At the moment, it looks like I can make my comeback at the Australian Open in January.”
SOCCER
European plans slammed
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) said a report that Europe’s top teams are in talks to become founding members of a new competition shows that “billionaire owners are out of control” and proves that the sport cannot regulate itself. A Sky News report said that more than 12 teams from the top five leagues — in England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain — are in negotiations over what has been dubbed the European premier league, with a provisional start date in 2022. “The latest reports of plots ... to create a European super league, expose the myth that billionaire owners care about the English football pyramid, or indeed anything other than their own greed,” the FSA said in a statement. “This has to be the last nail in the coffin of the idea that football can be relied upon to regulate itself. These billionaire owners are out of control. Decisive action is now needed to protect the game we love.”
RUGBY UNION
Lions to play Japan
The British and Irish Lions yesterday said that they would host Japan in Edinburgh in June ahead of their tour of South Africa. The Lions, who traditionally tour Australia, New Zealand or South Africa every four years, would be playing Japan for the first time, with the match to be held at Murrayfield on June 26. It would mark just the third time that the Lions have played on home soil following games in Cardiff against Argentina in 2005 and a Rest of the World XV in 1986. “We saw Japan play some excellent rugby during the World Cup and they will come to Edinburgh fully motivated to win,” Lions head coach Warren Gatland said.
RUGBY UNION
RA confident despite exit
Rugby Australia (RA) were stunned by South Africa’s withdrawal from the Rugby Championship, but are confident that it can deal with the financial hit stemming from their absence, chairman Hamish McLennan said yesterday. South Africa Rugby pulled the world champions out of the southern hemisphere competition last week, citing concerns over player welfare, leaving a three-nation tournament and a hole in the finances of hosts Australia. “We’ll find a way through it,” McLennan told reporters at the launch of Australia’s indigenous jersey. “We were surprised because South Africa did agree to the tournament and the scheduling, so we were disappointed that they pulled out. It will cost us quite a lot of money, but we’ll find a way through it ... we’ve proven so far that we’re a pretty resilient organization.”
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was