TENNIS
Taiwan’s Wu out in France
Taiwan’s Wu Fang-hsien and Australian partner Olivia Tjandramulia yesterday crashed out of the women’s doubles quarter-finals at the Internationaux de Strasbourg in France. The duo lost 6-1, 6-0 to Desirae Krawczyk of the US and Giuliana Olmos of Mexico. Taiwanese sisters Latisha Chan and Chan Hao-ching were to face Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Chinese partner Wang Xinyu in the quarter-finals after press time last night. Hsieh and Wang on Tuesday beat Angelina Gabueva of Russia and Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 6-4, 6-2 to set up the showdown with the Chans.
SOCCER
Seven held over Irons attack
Twenty-six men involved in attempts to attack family and friends of West Ham United players in the Netherlands last week have reported to police, with seven detained, but 10 more still sought, Dutch media reported yesterday. Dutch police used a television program on Tuesday to appeal for help to try and identify hooligans, showing images of suspects involved in the attack at the conclusion of the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final second leg between AZ and the London club on Thursday last week. Dutch police had identified 24 supporters as suspects in the apparently premeditated attack at AZ Stadium in Alkmaar. Police had given those involved a deadline to report otherwise have their images shown on national television.
ICE HOCKEY
US top Sweden in worlds
Dylan Samberg on Tuesday scored in overtime and the US beat Sweden 4-3 to finish the group stage with a perfect record at the Ice Hockey World Championship. Samberg’s winner from the slot 1 minute, 37 seconds into overtime clinched first place for the US in Group A, two points in front of Sweden, ahead of today’s quarter-final games, when the US are to play the Czech Republic and Sweden face cohosts Latvia. In Riga, Canada defeated the Czechs 3-1 to finish second in Group B, and set up a quarter-final against defending champions Finland.
MOTORSPORTS
Honda to power Aston Martin
High-flying Aston Martin is to be powered by Honda engines from 2026 in what the Formula One team says is “the last piece of the jigsaw.” This represents a return to F1 for Honda, who left in 2021, but retained links with Red Bull and AlphaTauri. The tie up, announced yesterday, comes in the run-up to this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix with Aston Martin a surprise second to world champions Red Bull in the constructors’ standings.
CYCLING
Not a robot: Evenepoel
Belgian star Remco Evenepoel on Tuesday took a swing at his critics as he announced he was back in training after abandoning the Giro d’Italia with COVID-19 even though he was in the lead. “Ups & downs are part of our job and I can accept that,” the 23-year-old, who held a narrow lead when he dropped out, wrote on Facebook. “What is hard to accept is all the fake and negative comments I got after having to leave the race.” “I just want to ask everyone to remember I am not a robot, but also a normal human being, husband, son, teammate etc. with normal feelings,” he wrote, adding that he would use it as motivation.
SS Lazio on Monday fired the far-right sympathizer who handles their eagle mascot after he posted online a series of videos and pictures of his erect penis. Falconer Juan Bernabe, who has been present at Lazio home matches with Olimpia the eagle since the 2010-2011 season, posted the footage on social media after having surgery on Saturday to implant a penile prosthesis to improve his sexual performance. Lazio said that they had “terminated, with immediate effect” their relationship with Bernabe “due to the seriousness of his conduct,” adding that they were “shocked” by the images. The Serie A club added that Bernabe’s dismissal
Hong Kong-based cricket team Hung See this weekend found success in their matches in Taiwan, even if none of the results went their way. Hung See played the Chairman’s XI on Saturday morning, the Daredevils that afternoon and PCCT yesterday, with all three home teams winning. The team for Chinese players at the Happy Valley-based Craigengower Cricket Club sends teams on tour to “spread the game of cricket.” This weekend was Hung See’s second trip to Taiwan after visiting Tainan in 2016. “The club has been traveling to all parts of the world since 1982 and the annual tradition continues [with the Taiwan
‘TOUGH TO BREATHE’: Tunisian three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur suffered an asthma attack in her 7-5, 6-3 victory over Colombia’s Camila Osorio Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei yesterday cruised into the second round of the women’s doubles at the Australian Open, while Iga Swiatek romped into a third-round women’s singles showdown with Emma Raducanu and Taylor Fritz was just as emphatic in his pursuit of a maiden Grand Slam title. Hsieh and Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia, the third seeds, defeated Slovakia’s Tereza Mihalikova and Olivia Nicholls of Britain 7-5, 6-2 in 90 minutes in Melbourne. Ostapenko and Hsieh — who won the women’s doubles and mixed doubles at the Australian Open last year — hit 25 winners and converted five of nine break points to set
HARD TO SAY GOODBYE: After Coco Gauff dispatched Belinda Bencic in the fourth round, she wrote ‘RIP TikTok USA’ and drew a broken heart on a television camera lens Defending champion Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan yesterday advanced to the quarter-finals of the women’s doubles at the Australian Open, while compatriot Chan Hao-ching on Saturday dominated her opponents in the second round, as world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka swept into the quarter-finals. Third seeds Hsieh and Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia toppled Hungary’s Timea Babos and Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US 6-4, 6-3, hitting 24 winners and converting three of seven break points in 1 hour, 18 minutes at 1573 Arena. Although rivals at last year’s Australian Open — where Hsieh and Belgium’s Elise Mertens beat Ostapenko and Ukraine’s Lyudmyla Kichenok 6-1, 7-5
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