
I Dig Sports
McIlroy burns Kuchar: 'We all know what money means to him'
Published in
Golf
Tuesday, 06 August 2019 12:30

Matt Kuchar has been the butt of several jokes since the public relations nightmare caused by his caddie-payout controversy at the Mayakoba Classic earlier this season ... including at the hands of his fellow players.
And while Kuchar has since apologized and made things right with the caddie in question, the jokes just keep on coming.
The latest burn came via Rory McIlroy on Tuesday during the Wyndham Rewards ceremony, where an extra $10 million in bonus money was handed out to players.
While Kuchar was explaining that McIlroy had cost him $300,000 by finishing just two points ahead of him in the season-long race, the four-time major champ quickly interjected, "And we all know what money means to him."
To his credit, Kuchar took the high road, bursting into laughter along with the rest of the room.
Sometimes all you can do is tip your cap when you get Boom! Roasted!
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Surrey Stars start defence with win as Sarah Taylor, Laura Marsh shine
Published in
Cricket
Tuesday, 06 August 2019 15:23

Surrey Stars 130 for 9 (Taylor 43, Fenby 4-20) Yorkshire Diamonds 121 (Marsh 3-17) by nine runs
Surrey Stars kicked off their Kia Super League title defence with a nine-run victory over Yorkshire Diamonds at Emerald Headingley.
Australia star Alyssa Healy's blistering 31 looked to have put Yorkshire on top in their pursuit of 131, after Helen Fenby helped restrict Surrey by claiming four wickets. But the Diamonds, who have yet to reach Finals Day in the KSL, failed to capitalise on their strong start as Laura Marsh took three wickets to lead the Stars to opening day success.
Healy, who scored 266 runs in the women's Ashes, launched a superb attack in the Powerplay, striking three boundaries in each of the third and fourth overs. But she was removed for 31 from 17 balls by spinner Mady Villiers - who also dismissed Healy on her England debut last week - to leave Yorkshire 43 for 1 in the fifth over.
Experienced England spinner Marsh helped keep the Diamonds in check with two key wickets, as Hollie Armitage and India star Jemimah Rodrigues fell for 12 and 4 respectively.
Yorkshire reached 75 for 3 at the halfway mark as captain Lauren Winfield set about anchoring the innings. But Stars skipper Natalie Sciver dismissed Cordelia Griffith for 5 and then claimed the key scalp of Winfield for 31.
At 97 for 5, Yorkshire required 34 to win from the last five overs. But Leigh Kasparek fell in the 16th as Marsh claimed 3 for 17 from her four overs.
Allrounder Alice Davidson-Richards offered hope for the Diamonds with a brisk 17, taking them to 19 needed from 12 balls, but her run out in the 19th over ended their chances. Yorkshire lost three wickets in the final over to be bowled out for 121.
Surrey's innings had followed a similar pattern. South African Lizelle Lee, who hit 104 from 58 balls in last year's final win over Loughborough, hammered two fours in the opening over. But Lee was the first of four wickets for 20-year-old legspinner Fenby, trapped lbw for 9 attempting to sweep, before opening partner Bryony Smith was caught by Armitage for a breezy 20.
England pair Sarah Taylor and Sciver guided Surrey to 71 for 2 at the halfway mark. Sciver struck the only six of the match as she crashed Kasparek down the ground, but the spinner responded by forcing Sciver to miscue one straight back to her.
Taylor, who missed the T20 part of the recent women's Ashes due to mental health problems, played well on her return to make 43. But her departure in the 15th over, also caught and bowled by Kasparek, sparked a collapse.
The legspinner picked up her third when South African Dane van Niekerk was brilliantly caught in the deep by Rodrigues, before Marizanne Kapp was the third to be caught and bowled - this time by Linsey Smith.
Fenby returned to dismiss Marsh and Gwen Davies to finish with figures of 4 for 20, but Surrey's total of 130 for 9 proved beyond Yorkshire.
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Phil Salt supplies dash as Sussex maintain unbeaten run
Published in
Cricket
Tuesday, 06 August 2019 15:19

Sussex 150 for 1 (Salt 78*, Wright 56) beat Glamorgan 146 for 9 (Lloyd 50, Topley 3-20) by nine wickets
Sussex's fifth win out of six - they also tied against Surrey - moved last year's beaten finalists above Kent Spitfires and they were always in control against a Glamorgan side still looking for their first win of the campaign.
After they restricted Glamorgan, who won the toss, to 146 for 9, openers Luke Wright and Philip Salt launched the reply with a withering assault which brought 130 in 12 overs, Sussex's fourth highest partnership in the format and their biggest against Glamorgan.
The pair rattled along at more than ten an over from the start, matching each other shot for shot against a toothless Glamorgan attack which lacked variety compared to Sussex. Salt reached his fifty with a six into the top tier of the pavilion off Andrew Salter and the offspinner was hit for boundaries off the next two deliveries.
Salt won the game off the fifth ball of the 13th over with an uppercut over third man which brought him his eighth boundary, he also hit three sixes as he finished on 78 not out from 42 balls - his third half-century of this season's competition.
It looked as if the Sussex pair might win the game on their own but Wright fell to a superb diving catch in the 13th over by wicketkeeper Chris Cooke after making 56 off 35 deliveries with five fours and two sixes. There were 6.1 overs left when Sussex eased to victory.
Such a one-sided contest had seemed unlikely with Glamorgan in good shape at 55 for 1 in the ninth over and opener David Lloyd going well. But they lost eight wickets for 87 and were never the same after Lloyd departed to the next ball after reaching his second fifty of this season's Blast.
The 27-year-old hit nine fours from 37 balls faced but he holed out to deep midwicket to give left-arm spinner Danny Briggs his second wicket and Glamorgan struggled for momentum thereafter against some accurate and disciplined Sussex bowling. Skipper Colin Ingram, Kiran Carlson and Chris Cooke all threatened but Sussex maintained a happy knack of taking a wicket just when Glamorgan threatened to put together a decent partnership.
Briggs was taken for 18 in his final over and Tymal Mills' last over cost 11 runs, but Glamorgan lost wickets too regularly to build any momentum and set a challenging total. Ollie Robinson removed Graham Wagg and Cooke with successive balls in the 17th over and finished with 2 for 27 but the pick of their bowlers was Reece Topley, who finished with 3 for 20. Sussex's fielding was excellent with Salt taking two superb diving catches in the deep to complete an excellent evening.
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Kerr, Popovich criticize politicians over gun control
Published in
Basketball
Tuesday, 06 August 2019 17:44

LAS VEGAS -- Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr says he thinks all the time about gun violence and mass shootings and how any day someone could walk into a basketball gym and shoot NBA players.
Following mass shootings in Gilroy, California, El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio that killed 34 people in just over a week, Kerr and San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich criticized lawmakers for not doing nearly enough about gun control on Tuesday following the USA's practice.
"When you have 97 percent of the people in the country who want universal background checks and the Senate, not only, not won't pass it, won't even vote on it because [Senate Majority Leader] Mitch McConnell won't allow them to vote on it because the NRA has bought him off, then you got problem," said Kerr, who is an assistant coach for the USA. "I think that's the issue. We have to have elected leaders who are willing to value human life over their own jobs and their contributions from the NRA."
Popovich, the USA head coach, also called for action.
"It'd be a lot better if the people in power got off their asses and got something done... in a lot of different areas," Popovich said. "I think they're on vacation right now.
"Nothing going on, so they just take a break," Popovich added sarcastically. "They'll come back and fix the gun situation, the environment, inequality, pay, they'll fix all that when they come back, I'm sure."
Popovich and Kerr are among the most vocal sports figures when it comes to political issues and social inequality. Kerr has been personally impacted by gun violence. His father was a diplomat who was assassinated in Lebanon in 1984.
"I think about it all the time. Somebody could walk in the door in the gym right now and start spraying us with an AR-15," Kerr told the Bay Area News Group on Monday. "They could. It might happen because we're all vulnerable, whether we go to a concert, a church, the mall or go to the movie theater or a school. It's up to us as Americans to demand change from the gutless leadership that continues to allow this to happen and continues to somehow claim the second amendment is doing its job."
On Tuesday, Kerr was asked what he would say if he could talk to President Donald Trump right now.
"Nothing," Kerr said. "I wouldn't bother talking with him."
Kerr, though, believes this is a time to act and force change.
"I've always been outspoken in terms of gun safety and gun measures," Kerr said. "That is something that has been very important to me for a long time. I've gotten very involved with some of the gun safety groups, like the Brady Campaign and the Sandy Hook Promise and March For Our Lives, the Gifford's group. These are all wonderful groups that are doing a lot of good things.
"I think there is a lot of momentum now that is building."
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CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs placed their best reliever, Brandon Kintzler, on the 10-day injured list Tuesday after the right-hander hurt his right pectoral against the Oakland Athletics the previous night.
"I don't think there's anything spectacularly wrong with him, but it's there," manager Joe Maddon said Tuesday. "The guy has been a rock for us. We want him to continue to be a rock for us. Why push it right now and find out we're wrong? It's a conservative route."
Kintzler has a 2.33 ERA in 49 appearances while stranding 79 percent of his inherited runners this season.
Maddon thinks the 35 year-old veteran injured himself on a pitch to Matt Olson in the eighth inning Monday when he came out of his delivery to "manufacture velocity or movement."
"That's what occurred," the manager said. "Whether it was knowingly or unknowingly on his part ... He's been probably our most consistent relief pitcher all year. To push it right now, we just didn't think it's wise."
In the corresponding roster move, the Cubs activated Pedro Strop from the injured list. The right-hander was struggling before being sidelined by a neck injury, so Maddon said he will try to avoid a high-leverage moment for his return.
"I don't think it's wise to put Pedro in at the end of the game," Maddon said of Strop, who has a 5.32 ERA in 32 appearance for the Cubs.
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LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers placed rookie outfielder Alex Verdugo on the 10-day injured list with an oblique strain and sent rookie starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin back to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday, one day after Gonsolin helped shut out the St. Louis Cardinals.
Left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson and corner infielder Edwin Rios were called up to take their places on the active roster.
Verdugo, batting .294/.342/.475, was scratched from Monday's lineup with what was announced as back tightness, an ailment that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts did not initially anticipate requiring an IL stint. The Dodgers are suddenly thin in their outfield, with Cody Bellinger now being required to play more first base and A.J. Pollock recently nursing a sore groin.
Tuesday's outfield included Joc Pederson in right field, Matt Beaty in left and Kristopher Negron in center.
Gonsolin, 25, was sent to the minors as part of a roster crunch. Fellow starting pitchers Hyun-Jin Ryu and Ross Stripling, each nursing minor neck injuries, are expected back shortly, a development that could also send Dustin May back to Triple-A.
Gonsolin could soon start preparing to help the Dodgers out of the bullpen in the postseason.
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Evans beats De Minaur to set up Nadal meeting in Montreal
Published in
Tennis
Tuesday, 06 August 2019 11:54

Britain's Dan Evans will meet Rafael Nadal for the first time at tour level after beating Australian Alex de Minaur in straight sets at the Rogers Cup.
Evans, 29, won 6-4 7-6 (8-6) to set up a second-round match against Spain's 18-time Grand Slam champion Nadal.
Evans won a 51-shot rally on his way to a break in the first game of the match, then survived two break points to edge a tight opening set in a hot Montreal.
After exchanging serves, Evans took his second match point in the tie-break.
Evans missed the first on De Minaur's serve at 6-5, only for the 20-year-old Australian - who is ranked 38th in the world and has won two ATP Tour titles this year - to overhit a volley and give him another opportunity.
That left Evans serving for the match and the world number 53 sealed a tantalising meeting with Nadal when De Minaur hit a backhand long.
"It was so hot, I'm just happy to get through. I'm good physically so I never doubt myself but it is hard out here," Evans said.
Spanish great Nadal, who is the top seed and defending champion at the ATP 1,000 event, received a first-round bye in his first tournament since losing to Roger Federer in the Wimbledon semi-final last month.
Evans missed out on the chance to play world number two Nadal at the All England Club when he lost to Portugal's Joao Sousa in the third round.
In the men's doubles, Britain's Joe Salisbury and his American playing partner Rajeev Ram won 7-5 7-5 against the all-British pairing of Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski.
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World number one Ashleigh Barty loses to Sofia Kenin in Rogers Cup
Published in
Tennis
Tuesday, 06 August 2019 14:34

World number one Ashleigh Barty lost to American Sofia Kenin in the second round of the Rogers Cup in Toronto.
The French Open champion was beaten 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-4 in one hour 56 minutes in her first match since a fourth-round defeat by Alison Riske at Wimbledon.
The Australian, 23, forced a first set tie-break from 5-3 down but Kenin took the second with three breaks of serve.
World number 29 Kenin then broke twice to race 4-1 ahead in the deciding set before seeing out a surprise victory.
The 20-year-old will play either Dayana Yastremska - who beat British number one Johanna Konta on Monday - or Victoria Azarenka in the third round.
Also on Tuesday, Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro defeated Venus Williams 6-4 6-2 to set up a second round match against Anett Kontaveit.
Estonian Kontaveit, seeded 19th, recovered from a set down to beat Russia's Maria Sharapova 4-6 6-3 6-4.
Meanwhile, Sharapova's 22-year-old compatriot Daria Kasatkina overcame German world number 13 Angelique Kerber to reach the second round, winning 0-6 6-2 6-4.
Japan's world number two Naomi Osaka, chasing Barty's world number one ranking in Toronto, plays German Tatjana Maria on Wednesday.
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Gold for Canada, Eugene Wang and Zhang Mo maintain North American traditions
Published in
Table Tennis
Tuesday, 06 August 2019 07:45

After accounting for the United States top seeded pairing of Kanak Jha and Wu Yue (11-9, 9-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-6), they secured the top step of the podium by overcoming Brazil’s Gustavo Tsuboi and Bruna Takahashi, the no.3 seeds (12-10, 15-13, 6-11, 11-7, 12-10). Earlier in the penultimate round, the Brazilians had ousted Puerto Rico’s Brian Afanador and Adriana Diaz, the no.2 seeds (7-11, 13-11, 15-13, 11-9, 11-7).
Gold for Eugene Wang and Zhang Mo meant that tradition was maintained; always when the mixed doubles event has been held at a Pan American Games it has been claimed by a pair from North America.
Canada’s Alex Polisios and Mariann Domonkos won in the inaugural edition in 1979 in San Juan; in 1995 the husband and wife team of Horatio Pintea and Geng Lijuan reserved the top prize. Meanwhile, for the United States, Sean O’Neill partnered Insook Bhushan to success in 1983, before in 1991 repeating the feat in Havana in harness with Diana Gee. Sean O’Neill, twice a winner, it is the same for Insook Bhushan, sandwiched in between in 1987 in Indianapolis she emerged victorious when partnering Khoa Nguyen.
Top seeded pairs reach final
Semi-final defeats for the top two seeded pairs in the mixed doubles event; not in the men’s doubles nor in the women’s doubles competitions.
In the penultimate round of the men’s doubles event, Gustavo Tsuboi and Brazilian colleague, Hugo Calderano, the top seeds, beat Puerto Rico’s Brian Afanador and Daniel Gonzalez, the no.3 seeds (11-6, 11-6, 9-11, 9-11, 14-12); Argentina’s Gaston Alto and Horacio Cifuentes, the no.2 seeds, ended the hopes of the Dominican Republic’s Emil Santos and Wu Jiaji, the no.11 seeds (11-9, 11-13, 7-11, 11-5, 5-11, 12-10, 11-5).
Similarly, in the women’s doubles competition, the United States top seeded combination of Wu Yue and Lily Zhang reserved their place in the final courtesy of success in opposition Zhang Mo and Canadian colleague, Alicia Cote, the no.3 seeds (11-3, 11-6, 8-11, 11-2, 12-10). Not to be overshadowed, Adriana Diaz alongside elder sister Melanie, beat Brazil’s Bruna Takahashi and Jessica Yamada (11-7, 6-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-3, 11-6) to reserve their place at the top table.
Opening round success for leading names
Meanwhile, in the men’s singles event, the leading names required to compete in the opening round, enjoyed success. Kanak Jha of the United States, the no.3 seed, beat Jose You of Honduras, the no.28 seed (11-6, 11-3, 11-6, 11-9), Paraguay’s Marcelo Aguirre, the no.4 seed, ousted Guatemala’s Heber Moscoso (11-4, 11-7, 11-4, 11-2).
Likewise, in the women’s singles event, Wu Yue the no.3 seed, overcame Ecuador’s Mylena Plaza, the no.26 seed (11-7, 11-6, 11-9, 11-9); Lily Zhang of the United States, the no.4 seed, prevailed in opposition to Peru’s Francesca Vargas, the no.28 seed (11-1, 11-4, 11-2, 11-6).
Higher rated stumble
Outcomes as expected but there were defeats for the higher rated player; in the men’s singles event the nation to suffer being Cuba. Andy Pereira, the no.15 seed, was beaten by Eugene Wang, the no.20 seed (10-12, 12-10, 5-11, 7-11, 12-10, 14-12, 11-9), Jorge Campos, the no.16 seed, lost to Wu Jiaji, the no.24 seed (11-4, 4-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-5, 11-8). Success for Wu Jiaji contrary to status, for his doubles partner, Emil Santos, it was the opposite scenario. The no.11 seed, he suffered at the hands of Nikhil Kumar of the United States, the no.18 seed (11-5, 10-12, 11-2, 3-11, 14-12, 11-4).
Also, in the first round of the women’s singles event there were upsets. The Dominican Republic’s Yasiris Ortiz, the no.19 seed, beat Chile’s Daniela Ortega, the no.9 seed (12-10, 11-4, 9-11, 9-11, 11-7, 5-11, 14-12); Cuba’s Idalys Lovat, the no.17 seed, ousted Guatemala’s Mabelyn Enriquez (11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8, 8-11, 7-11, 11-8). Notable wins, it was the same for Venezuela’s Neridee Niño; the no.29 seed, she accounted for Alicia Cote, the no.11 seed (16-14, 9-11, 7-11, 14-12, 11-3, 11-9).
Play continues in the men’s singles and women’s singles events on Wednesday 14th August when the second round and quarter-finals will be completed. The day will conclude with the finals of the men’s doubles and mixed doubles events.
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Aiming to maintain form, Sakura Yokoi and Kaho Akae
Published in
Table Tennis
Tuesday, 06 August 2019 08:56

In the Czech Republic, Sakura Yokoi reached the quarter-final stage of the junior girls’ singles event, Kaho Akae advanced one round further; in cadet girls’ singles competition it was bronze for Sakura Yokoi, gold for Kaho Akae.
Later in the month in Sweden, Kako Akae claimed both the junior girls’ singles and cadet girls’ singles titles, in the respective events for Sakura Yokoi it was a semi-final appearance and runners up spot. Two months later they returned to Europe; in France Sakura Yokoi progressed to junior girls’ singles quarter-finals but most significantly she emerged the cadet girls’ singles champion. In both competitions Kaho Akae reached the semi-final round.
A return home for Kaho Akae but for Sakura Yokoi there was a further tournament on the list. In May she travelled to Poland, she excelled, she won both junior and cadet girls’ singles titles.
Top seed
In Hong Hong, Sakura Yokoi is the top seed in the junior girls’ singles event ahead of Kaho Akae; Chinese Taipei’s Yu Hsiu-Ting and Hong Kong’s Lee Ka Yee complete the top four names, likewise players who this year have excelled. Yu Hsiu-Ting won the junior girls’ singles title in Australia, at the ITTF Challenge Thailand Open, Lee Ka Yee reached the under 21 women’s singles quarter-finals.
Worthy names on duty, it is the same in the junior boys’ singles competition; Singapore’s Pang Yew En Koen heads the list ahead of Thailand’s Yanapong Panagitgun, Iran’s Amin Ahmadian and Chinese Taipei’s Tai Ming-Wei.
Success on home soil
Impressively, in May, Yanapong Panagitgun won on home soil in Bangkok, a tournament in which the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games bronze medallist, Pang Yew En Koen, reached the semi-final stage. Similarly, Amin Ahmadian impressed at the ITTF Challenge Slovenia Open progressing to the under 21 men’s singles quarter-finals; likewise, on the ITTF World Junior Circuit, Tai Ming-Wei was the runner up in Australia.
In the younger age group events, Japan’s Sora Matsushima heads the cadet boys’ singles seeding ahead of Iran’s Navid Shams; in the counterpart cadet girls’ singles competition Chinese Taipei’s Tsai Yun-En is the top seed followed by Japan’s Miwa Harimoto. All are no strangers to life on the ITTF World Junior Circuit.
Team events commence
Play commences with the team events; Singapore’s Lim Dao Yi, Pang Yew En Koen, Shi Kexun and Josh Chua Shao Han form the junior boys’ top seeded outfit, in the girls’ team event the leading combination is that of Japan’s Sakura Yokoi, Kaho Akae and Haruna Ojio, a player who is no stranger the life on the ITTF World Tour and ITTF Challenge Series tournaments.
Meanwhile, Navid Shams and Hong Kong’s Yu Nok head the cadet boys’ team seeding, the latter’s colleagues Chelsea Chan Shiu Lam and Yenn Ho Ching form the leading cadet girls’ team pairing.
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