BASKETBALL
Taiwan A set up decider
Taiwan A yesterday downed the BSBL Guardians 97-80 to move to a 7-0 record, setting up a winner-takes-all match against Strong Group Athletics today to decide the top team. Brandon Gilbeck’s 14 points was the main contributor to Taiwan A’s win against the Australia-based side at the Sinjhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei City. In other games yesterday, Malaysia Harimau beat Japan 79-72, the United Arab Emirates lost to Ukraine 94-50 and Strong Group Athletics defeated Taiwan B 96-70 to keep their unbeaten run going.
Photo: CNA
RUGBY UNION
Australia beat Georgia
Flankers Rob Valetini and Fraser McReight yesterday scored two tries apiece as Australia won a third straight match under new coach Joe Schmidt with a scrappy 40-29 victory over Georgia at the Sydney Football Stadium. The loose forwards both crossed on either side of the break and were joined on the scoresheet by center Hunter Paisami and prop Isaac Kailea to give the Wallabies three successive wins for the first time since late 2021.
RUGBY UNION
New Zealand crush Fiji
The All Blacks yesterday cut loose against Fiji with seven tries to win their one-off Test 47-5 in San Diego, California. New Zealand flyhalf Damian McKenzie landed six off his seven conversion attempts and was a central figure as the All Blacks’ backs feasted on dominance of possession and the forward pack’s ability to win quick breakdown ball.
RUGBY UNION
England win under-20 title
A dominant second-half performance on Friday gave England a 21-13 victory over title-holders France in the World Rugby Under-20 Championship final in wet and chilly Cape Town. Going into halftime 7-6 ahead, England imposed their authority in the second half, while and a yellow card to No. 8 Mathis Castro Ferreira on 46 minutes hurt France. While numerically disadvantaged, France conceded eight points, including a second try for the winners, scored by replacement forward Arthur Green. His score, coupled with three penalty goals from center Sam Kerr, stretched a one-point lead to 15 before French fullback Mathis Ferte crossed for a consolation post-hooter try.
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
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
‘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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