BADMINTON
Tai retires hurt in HK
Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying yesterday retired from her match against world No. 31 Putri Kusuma Wardani of Indonesia at the Hong Kong Open. Wardani, who beat Tai at the Taipei Open last week, was leading 6-2 when the Taiwanese star had to stop. In the men’s singles on Wednesday, Taiwanese world No. 9 Chou Tien-chen beat Canada’s Sheng Xiaodong 21-18, 21-12 and yesterday eliminated Saran Jamsri of Thailand 21-15 21-19. At the Vietnam Open, Taiwan’s Tung Ciou-tong and Lin Hsiang-ti face each other today in the quarter-finals. World No. 65 Lin defeated compatriot Huang Yu-hsun 21-16, 21-9, while world No. 102 Tung ousted Keisha Fatimah Azzahra of Azerbaijan 8-21, 21-15, 21-14 at the US$100,000 event. Other Taiwanese were to play after press time last night at both tournaments.
Photo: CNA
TABLE TENNIS
Lin Yun-ju wins in Macau
Taiwan’s Lin Yun-ju yesterday defeated Anton Kallberg of Sweden 3-0 (11-4, 11-5, 11-9) in the men’s singles at the World Table Tennis Champions Macau. With the round-of-16 win, Lin earned a place in the quarter-finals today against Lin Shidong of China. Taiwan’s Kao Cheng-jui also advanced to the quarters, beating Chinese player Lin Gaoyuan 3-1 (11-7, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9). Kao faces Sweden’s Truls Moregard today. In the women’s singles, Taiwan’s Cheng I-ching booked a quarter-final against Wang Manyu of China with a 3-1 (11-7, 12-10, 10-12, 11-6) victory over Orawan Paranang of Thailand. Cheng ousted compatriot Chien Tung-chuan in the round-of-32.
BASEBALL
Taiwan smash Colombia
Taiwan yesterday piled on six runs in the final frame as they beat Colombia 10-0 at the WBSC Under-23 Baseball World Cup in Shaoxing, China. Lead pitcher Huang Zi-hao conceded four hits in five scoreless innings before Chen Ping-hong closed out the seven-innings game at the Shaoxing Baseball and Softball Sports Culture Center. Second baseman Tseng Yu-ching, third baseman Wang Nian-hao and designated hitter Lin Chia-wei each had two RBIs as Taiwan won their first game in the Placement Round. They face Australia today.
SOCCER
Kuwaiti officials sacked
The Kuwait Football Association has suspended one of its top bosses and its head of public relations over failings that left fans in sweltering temperatures for hours during a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Iraq. The association in a statement on Wednesday expressed its “deep regret” for ticketing and other logistical problems that marred the game at the 60,000-capacity Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium on Tuesday. It also said it would launch a probe into the shortcomings, which resulted in fans fainting in temperatures of more than 40°C as they pleaded with staff for water, with videos of the incidents shared on social media. The game was a 0-0 draw.
‘SOURCE OF PRIDE’: Newspapers rushed out special editions and the government sent their congratulations as Shohei Ohtani became the first player to enter the 50-50 club Japan reacted with incredulity and pride yesterday after Shohei Ohtani became the first player in Major League Baseball to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. The Los Angeles Dodgers star from Japan made history with a seventh-inning homer in a 20-4 victory over the Marlins in Miami. “We would like to congratulate him from the bottom of our heart,” top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters in Tokyo. “We sincerely hope Mr Ohtani, who has already accomplished feat after feat and carved out a new era, will thrive further,” he added. The landmark achievement dominated Japanese morning news
When Wang Tao ran away from home aged 17 to become a professional wrestler, he knew it would be a hard slog to succeed in China’s passionate but underdeveloped scene. Years later, he has endured family disapproval, countless side gigs and thousands of hours of brutal training to become China’s “Belt and Road Champion” — but the struggle is far from over. Despite a promising potential domestic market, the Chinese pro wrestling community has been battling for recognition and financial stability for decades. “I have done all kinds of jobs [on the side]... Because in the end, it is very
No team in the CPBL can surpass the Taipei Dome attendance record set by the CTBC Brothers, except when the Brothers team up with Taiwanese rock band Mayday. A record-high 40,000 fans turned out at the indoor baseball venue on Saturday for Brothers veteran Chou Szu-chi’s first farewell game, which was followed by a mini post-game concert featuring Mayday. This broke the previous CPBL record of 34,506 set by the Brothers in early last month, when K-pop singer Hyuna performed after the game, and the dome’s overall record of 37,890 set in early March, which featured the Brothers and the
With a quivering finger, England Subbuteo veteran Rudi Peterschinigg conceded the free-kick that sent his country’s World Cup quarter-final into extra-time before smashing his plastic goalkeeper on the floor in frustration. In the genteel southern English town of Tunbridge Wells, 300 elite players have gathered to play the game they love. “I won’t say this is the best weekend I’ve ever had in my life, but it’s certainly in the top two,” said Hughie Best, 58, who flew in from Perth, Australia, to compete and commentate at the event. Tunbridge Wells is the “spiritual home” of Subbuteo, which was invented there in 1946