BADMINTON
Taiwan’s Chou eliminated
Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen yesterday exited in the men’s singles semi-finals at the Madrid Spain Masters after losing to France’s Toma Junior Popov 21-15, 20-22, 21-18. Chou on Friday advanced to the semis by defeating Malaysia’s Leong Jun Hao 21-16, 21-12 in 33 minutes in their first head-to-head. Wang Tzu-wei’s men’s singles semi against Loh Kean Yew of Singapore was just beginning at press time last night, as were Taiwan’s Chang Ching-hui and Yang Ching-tun in the women’s doubles against Japanese pair Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakaishi. They defeated Keng Shuliang and Zhang Chi 21-14, 21-16 on Friday. Also in the women’s doubles, Lee Chia-hsin and Teng Chun-hsun were soundly beaten 21-12, 21-7 by Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma and Amallia Cahaya Pratiwi of Indonesia.
RUGBY UNION
Savea endorses change
World Rugby Player of the Year Ardie Savea has tentatively endorsed a suggested policy change that would allow players based outside New Zealand to be considered for All Blacks selection. New Zealand has opposed such a policy, despite several leading rivals allowing overseas-based players to be chosen for national teams. Savea is playing in Japan on a short-term basis with the Kobelco Kobe Steelers. He is to return to New Zealand later this year for a Test series against England and the latter stages of the Super Rugby Pacific season. “Times are changing,” he said in an interview from Kobe. “Things are moving fast. What worked five, 10, 15 years ago maybe can’t work now. We’ve just got to be innovative and smart around what we’re doing.”
SOCCER
Give Irankunda time: coach
Adelaide United coach Carl Veart on Friday urged Australian fans to be patient with emerging talent Nestory Irankunda after the Bayern Munich-bound striker became the youngest player ever to score a hat-trick in the A-League. The 18-year-old fired Veart’s side to a 4-1 win over Western United at Hindmarsh Stadium with his first three-goal haul in the professional game. “A lot of people think all he is is power and speed, but they don’t actually see or work with him every day,” Veart said. “He is technically very, very good and his understanding of the game is at a high level. He knows when to slow things down and go fast. It takes time for these young players.”
CRICKET
David Willey leaves IPL
English left-arm seamer David Willey has withdrawn from the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to personal reasons and is to be replaced by New Zealander Matt Henry at Lucknow Super Giants, organizers said yesterday. Willey quit international cricket after the ODI World Cup in India last year and missed Lucknow’s IPL opener against Rajasthan Royals last week.
FOOTBALL
Chiefs sign Rees-Zammit
Former Wales rugby union international Louis Rees-Zammit has been signed by Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs, the NFL franchise said on Friday. The 23-year-old wing announced his decision to leave rugby in January. “Hi Chiefs Kingdom, Louis Rees-Zammit here. Just signed, can’t wait to go and see you all at Arrowhead,” he said in a video posted by the Chiefs on X.
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
Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei yesterday advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s doubles at the Australian Open, while Coco Gauff’s dreams of a first women’s singles title in Melbourne were crushed in the quarter-finals by Paula Badosa. World No. 2 Alexander Zverev was ruffled by a stray feather in his men’s singles quarter-final, but he refocused to beat 12th seed Tommy Paul and reach the semi-finals. Third seeds Hsieh and Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia defeated Elena-Gabriela Ruse of Romania and Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 in 2 hours, 20 minutes to advance the semi-finals. Hsieh and Ostapenko converted eight of 14 break
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