BADMINTON
Taiwan’s Wang exits Madrid
Taiwanese shuttler Wang Tzu-wei on Saturday crashed out of the men’s singles semi-finals at the Madrid Spain Masters, losing to Singapore’s Loh Kean Yew 21-13, 8-21, 21-13. World No. 24 Wang was flying high early last month when he defeated world No. 1 Viktor Axelsen of Denmark in the French Open. His loss on Saturday came shortly after Taiwan’s top player Chou Tien-chen fell to France’s Toma Junior Popov 21-15, 20-22, 21-18. The world No. 39 Taiwanese duo of Chang Ching-hui and Yang Ching-tun were dominated 21-11, 21-9 to Japan’s Rin Iwanaga and Kie Nakaishi in the women’s doubles. Compatriots Lee Chia-hsin and Teng Chun-hsun suffered a similar defeat, losing 21-12, 21-7 to Indonesia’s Febriana Dwipuji Kusuma and Amallia Cahaya Pratiwi.
HORSE RACING
Macau holds final race
After more than 40 years, Macau on Saturday hosted its final races, bringing an end to the sport in the territory famous for its massive casinos. In January, the government said it would terminate its contract with the Macau Jockey Club this month. Gamblers congregated in the half-full stands and placed their final bets. Some tourists also visited the track. Mai Wan-zun, a student from mainland China in Macao, said she wanted to get a taste of the atmosphere. “We could come to see horse racing here in Macau, but not in mainland China,” she said. Helena Chong, a Macao resident, decided to visit the race course for the first and last time to see what it was all about. “It’s a pity to see the end of all this gambling and entertainment,” she said.
OLYMPICS
Russians not welcome: mayor
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo on Saturday said that Russian and Belarusian athletes “were not welcome” at the Olympics being staged in the French capital this year. “I want to tell Russian and Belarusian athletes that they are not welcome in Paris and to tell Ukrainian athletes and all the Ukrainian people that we support them very strongly,” Hidalgo said in a video posted by Ukrainian YouTube channel, United News. Hidalgo made her comments on a trip to Kyiv where she visited a training center for Ukrainian athletes. Russian athletes can compete in the Paris Olympics, which run from July 26 until Aug. 11, but only as neutrals.
BOXING
Fundora unifies world titles
American southpaw Sebastian Fundora on Saturday stunned previously unbeaten Australian Tim Tszyu to unify the WBO junior middleweight title and the vacant WBC crown in a bout that became a bloody spectacle. After a strong start, Tszyu struck his head accidentally on the left elbow of the 1.97m challenger in the second round, sustaining a deep bleeding gash above his forehand. Judges scored the fight 116-112 and 115-113 for Fundora and 116-112 for Tszyu, giving the US fighter a split decision victory. “I’m just happy Tim Tszyu gave me the opportunity and I made it a dream come true,” Fundora said. Tszyu said the blood affected his effort. “I couldn’t see,” Tszyu said. “But all credit belongs to the man who won. These things happen. The momentum was rolling. I was swinging hard. Then boom, you’re blinded.”
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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