CRICKET
Sun Group buys team
The owners of Indian Premier League (IPL) side Sunrisers Hyderabad have paid just over ￡100 million (US$124 million) for full control of the Yorkshire franchise in English cricket’s Hundred competition, the BBC reported on Wednesday. The Sun Group are the third investors into the Hundred from the IPL, but the BBC said it was the first to buy a 100 percent stake in one of the eight franchises with their acquisition of the Northern Superchargers.
Photo: EPA-EFE
TENNIS
Bellucci beats Medvedev
Italian qualifier Mattia Bellucci on Wednesday stunned former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev in three tough sets to reach the Rotterdam ATP quarter-finals. The 23-year-old left-hander, playing on a career-high ranking of 92, came through 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 to record a first win over a top-10 opponent. “It was a three-hour match and I really enjoyed every moment of it,” Bellucci said. “I really tried to do the best I could. I’m pretty tired, but I’m happy.” He next faces Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece or Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor, who were to play after press time last night.
Photo: EPA-EFE
SOCCER
Neymar returns for Santos
Neymar on Wednesday took powerful shots from the edge of the box and ran above his own expectations in 52 minutes on the pitch for Santos in his first game for the Brazilian club since his return last week. Then he hit back at his former Al-Hilal coach, Jorge Jesus, who had cast doubts over Neymar’s form. The 33-year-old striker was not able to cap his night at Vila Belmiro Stadium with a win on his birthday — Santos drew 1-1 with Botafogo Ribeirao Preto, a team fighting relegation in the Sao Paulo state championship. “I need more minutes, more matches. I am not 100 percent, but I didn’t expect to run as much as I did tonight,” said Neymar, who is still recovering from ACL surgery. “I will be much better three, four games from now.” Neymar said his performance was also a response to the negative comments of his former coach. “I knew that I was going to show something different on the pitch,” he told Brazilian channel CazeTV at Vila Belmiro Stadium. “The pitch is the only place where I can defend myself from that criticism, those comments.”
SOCCER
NWSL creates US$5m fund
The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) on Wednesday agreed to create a US$5 million fund to compensate players who experienced abuse and continue implementing reforms to resolve investigations launched by attorneys general for New York, Illinois and Washington after players came forward with allegations of harassment and sexual misconduct. Players from across the US top-flight league went public in 2021 with allegations of misconduct by coaches and officials dating back more than 10 years. The attorneys general launched a joint investigation into the allegations in 2022, which they said revealed that the NWSL was “permeated by a culture of abuse.” It also showed some teams did not conduct background checks, which allowed coaches previously terminated for misconduct to be rehired by other teams. “Today is about righting these wrongs and protecting women in sports,” New York Attorney General Letitia James told a news conference.
Aaliyah Edwards on Monday pulled off the stunner of the opening round of the Unrivaled one-on-one tournament, beating top-seeded Breanna Stewart 12-0. The tournament to be played over three days featured 23 of the WNBA’s 36 players. A few had other commitments and a couple others were out with injuries. Stewart got the ball first against Edwards and missed a contested layup. Edwards then hit a three-pointer from the corner and a jumper from the elbow to go up 5-0. The player who scores keeps the basketball. Edwards hit two layups and a three-pointer to seal the win. Stewart, a two-time WNBA Most Valuable Player,
SPEEDSKATER: Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s run at the Asian Winter Games without a medal since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990 Speedskater Chen Ying-chu yesterday made history as the first athlete representing Taiwan to secure a medal at the Asian Winter Games. Competing at the HIC Speedskating Oval in Harbin, China, Chen clocked 10.510 seconds in the women’s 100m event, finishing third behind South Koreans Lee Na-hyum and Kim Min-sun, who posted times of 10.501 and 10.505 seconds respectively. Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s drought at the Asian Winter Games since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990. This year’s Games mark Chen’s debut at the event. Previously excelling in roller speedskating, she won six medals at world championships before transitioning
Taiwan’s Lin Yun-ju and Kao Cheng-jui were defeated by their Chinese counterparts 3-0 on Saturday in the men’s doubles final at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Singapore Smash. Lin and Kao received their silver medals after being defeated by third-seeded duo Lin Shidong and Wang Chuqin of China 2-11, 4-11, 11-13. The Taiwan pair were left playing catch-up early in the match after the Chinese duo proved unstoppable in the first and second game. Although Lin and Kao picked up their pace in the third game and at one point took a 10-8 lead, they were crucially unable to take
Australia yesterday won two of four races on the first day of the SailGP Sydney event on Sydney Harbour to finish the day atop the points table ahead of Britain and a French team who made an outstanding return after missing the first two events of the season. Australia also had a third and a second placing, finishing the day with 37 points, ahead of Britain with 32 points and France with 27. Britain won the second race of the day and Switzerland, who won the first race, were in fourth place overall. Australia’s prowess in the start box was again the
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