BADMINTON
Tai wins Hong Kong opener
World No. 4 Tai Tzu-ying yesterday launched her Li-Ning Hong Kong Open campaign with a swift victory over Isabelle Rusli. The top seed took just 24 minutes to beat Rusli 21-10, 21-12. If Tai wins a fourth title at this year’s tournament, she would become the most successful women’s singles player, BWF’s Web site said. She is the only former winner competing in this year’s edition. She next faces world No. 31 Putri Kusuma Wardani of Indonesia, who advanced after beating Taiwan’s Sung Shou-yun. In men’s singles, Taiwanese world No. 9 Chou Tien-chen was last night to play Canada’s Sheng Xiaodong after press time, while compatriot Chi Yu-jen defeated Japan’s Yushi Tanaka 21-18, 21-11. In men’s doubles, Taiwanese two-time Olympic champion Wang Chi-lin and new partner Chiu Hsiang-chieh beat Hong Kong’s Hung Kuei Chun and Lui Chun Wai 24-22, 21-8, while Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan defeated compatriots Chiang Chien-wei and Wu Hsuan-yi 21-18, 21-16. In mixed doubles, Taiwan’s Lu Ming-che and Hung En-tzu beat India’s Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh 21-16, 22-20.
FIELD HOCKEY
Player banned for cocaine
Australian player Tom Craig has been banned for 12 months following his arrest during the Paris Olympics last month on suspicion of buying cocaine, Hockey Australia said yesterday. Craig would serve at least half of the ban, which began on Monday, with the remaining six months to be suspended if he met conduct requirements, a Hockey Australia statement said. The 29-year-old was released without charge, but was given a warning by a judge after French police detained him for allegedly trying to buy cocaine in Paris days after Australia lost their hockey quarter-final at the Games. “Craig is required to complete mandatory training and education programs as part of his sanction,” the statement said. Craig admitted that he had “made a terrible mistake” following his release from custody and apologized to his family, friends, teammates and the Australia Olympic team. “I have embarrassed you all and am truly sorry,” he said.
CRICKET
NZ-Afghan Test called off
Play in Afghanistan’s one-off Test against New Zealand was yesterday called off without a ball being bowled for a third consecutive day due to rain in India’s Greater Noida region. The area has been deluged by steady rain over the past two weeks and fresh showers early yesterday prompted match officials to abandon play with the toss yet to take place. The match is the first Test to be played at the Shahid Vijay Singh Pathik Sport Complex, which has only basic drainage systems, although it has hosted 11 “home” limited-overs matches for the Afghans. Afghanistan play their “home” matches abroad due to security concerns for touring teams. In response to criticism about the choice of venue, an Afghanistan Cricket Board official told local media it chose Greater Noida ahead of two other options in India because of its proximity to Delhi, which made traveling from Kabul easier. It said in a statement that it had ruled out playing in the United Arab Emirates due to the extreme heat there. “It’s important to understand that the Future Tours Program is typically planned five years in advance, which makes it nearly impossible to predict future circumstances with complete certainty,” the board said.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Marcus Rashford’s first goals for Aston Villa on Sunday inspired a 3-0 win against Preston North End that sent his side into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 10 years. Rashford struck twice in the second half at Deepdale to end Preston’s stubborn resistance before Jacob Ramsey wrapped up Villa’s long-awaited return to the last four. Villa are to face Crystal Palace — 3-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday — in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium in London. Revitalized since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window, Rashford is beginning to show the form that
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