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T2 Diamond Series: Get ready for Johor Bahru!
Let the show begin!
The stars will be shining bright for the next four days in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, where the top 16 women’s and top 16 men’s athletes will compete for silverware and precious world ranking points. These will come especially handy for qualification to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. In addition, there is an attractive total prize purse of $1.5 million across the three T2 Diamond events scheduled during 2019, which fans can watch live on itTV.
The refurbished T2 Diamond series has returned to where it was inaugurated in 2017. The famous Iskandar Malaysia Studios (IMS) in Johor Bahru will be host to what is being called one of the progressive tournaments in table tennis, and rightly so. This competition provides a more fast-flowing format of the sport, whereby the elite athletes taking part have more than just their opponent to worry about, as the time limit of 24 minutes looms. In case there is no winner after 24 minutes, a FAST5 format will be introduced with the first player to five points winning each remaining game. Existing games in progress at the 24th minute mark will continue to 11 points.
Coloured rubbers will also be allowed, with reigning T2 Diamond women’s champion, Bernadette Szocs, the first to seize on this new ITTF initiative by going with pink rubber for one side of her bat. Other players are expected to follow suit as the season progresses.
“Table tennis continues to be one of the leading sports in the world, with our world class athletes delivering exciting and compelling fast-paced action at the table. We hope to see that the T2 model will prove to the market how best to commercialise table tennis. At the ITTF we are flexible and open to new ideas of taking the sport to a new level and success for the T2 events would demonstrate that there is a much better chance for table tennis to grow as fast as we’d like.” ITTF CEO, Steve Dainton
“From our founding T2 APAC and its innovative team play, we now move the competition a notch higher with the world’s top players needing to play consistently well just to qualify for each of our three lucrative events. Our exacting format means players will need to be at their very best to win and we expect fans to be treated to table tennis of the highest quality in T2 Diamond.” Chairman of T2 Diamond and Special Adviser to ITTF President, Mr Frank Ji
“It is fitting that Malaysia hosts the opening event of the world’s most riveting table tennis tournament – Seamaster T2 Diamond 2019 Malaysia. The T2Cavern at IMS was where history was made in 2017 and where table tennis will chart new heights with the world’s top 16 men’s and women’s players. The combined prize purse of US$1.5 million is an added bonus as these world class players also stand to gain additional ITTF World Ranking points in the tight battle for 2020 Tokyo Olympic qualification.” T2 CEO and Commissioner, Jeff Chue
Champions get the action started
As if that was not enough to get everyone excited, China’s Olympic champion Ding Ning, who has enjoyed somewhat a revival in recent weeks, is set to meet Bernadette Szocs from Romania in the very first round. Ding, who is nicknamed ‘The Queen of Hearts’, has reached two consecutive finals on the ITTF World Tour (Korea and Australian Opens) but failed to convert the silver into gold.
Over to the men’s draw, German legend Timo Boll will be unable to defend his title, given his recent hip injury in the build-up to the tournament. His quality will be missed, however his compatriot Dimitrij Ovtcharov will look to keep the German flag flying high against world no.1, Xu Xin. The Chinese star dubbed ‘Xu-perman’ has now won three World Tour titles in a row. Will anything or anyone stop him in Johor Bahru?
Another Chinese champion last week in Geelong, Sun Yingsha will be looking to maintain her good run of form against Chen Szu-Yu from Chinese Taipei. Women’s world no.1 Chen Meng will need to be careful versus one part of Hong Kong’s doubles champion in Geelong, Doo Hoi Kem, who has repeatedly shown that she is not to be taken lightly.
Just days after defeating the legendary Ma Long in Australia, it remains to be seen if the ‘Dragon-slayer’ Wang Chuqin can work his magic against Lin Gaoyuan in the opening game on Thursday. Brazilian rising star Hugo Calderano will want to avoid any form of backlash from Fan Zhendong, as the former top-ranked Chinese looks to turn the tide of an underwhelming year so far for him.
The next four days call for eyeball-glued action with the top 32 in the world out in force. Stay tuned on all the action as it unfolds by following the links below:
MARYVILLE, Tenn. — Brandon Overton won Tuesday night’s Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Sunoco Race Fuels late model feature at Smoky Mountain Speedway.
Madden took the lead on lap 22 and never looked back en route to a $3,500 payday.
Overton’s victory was his second win on the tour in 2019 and his 12thcareer Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series triumph.
The start of the race would see Michael Chilton grab the race lead, with Donald McIntosh, Dakotah Knuckles, Brandon Overton, and Jake Knowles giving chase. The only caution of the race would appear on lap two for debris on the track in turn three.
The restart would see Chilton maintain the race lead, while Overton would take the third position and one lap later, eighth place starting Tommy Kerr would grab the fourth position. Chilton would begin to stretch his lead over McIntosh at this point, while Overton would close in on McIntosh and begin to challenge him for the second position.
Ashton Winger would make his way into the top five at this point and would take the fourth position on lap 14.
Meanwhile, Chilton would open about a three-quarters of straightaway lead over the battle for second between McIntosh and Overton as Chilton would start working slower traffic on lap 17 and Overton would overtake McIntosh for the second position on the same circuit.
Overton would quickly begin to close the gap between himself and Chilton at this point and would pull alongside Chilton on lap 21 and take the race lead one circuit later.
Overton would slowly drive away from Chilton in the remaining laps of the event to claim the victory by 2.369 seconds over Chilton, with McIntosh finishing in the third position. Winger and Knuckles would complete the top five finishers
The finish:
Brandon Overton, Michael Chilton, Donald McIntosh, Ashton Winger, Dakotah Knuckles, Jake Knowles, Tommy Kerr, David Crabtree, Tanner English, Robby Moses, Cla Knight, Bobby Giffin, Stacy Boles, Craig Greer,Kyle Strickler
LEXINGTON, N.C. – Kaulig Racing announced Wednesday that part-time driver AJ Allmendinger will compete in the No. 10 Chevrolet at Watkins Glen Int’l on Aug. 3.
Allmendinger is a previous winner at Watkins Glen, having earned a victory in 2014 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series for JTG-Daugherty Racing.
“It’s an honor to be able to compete for Kaulig Racing at one of my favorite tracks, Watkins Glen Int’l,” Allmendinger said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to win there in the Cup Series and had a strong run finishing second last season in my only Xfinity start there.
“Matt Kaulig, Chris Rice and all of the guys made Daytona so enjoyable and fun, and I can’t wait to get to The Glen.”
In his lone Xfinity Series start at the New York road course, Allmendinger collected one stage win and led 11 laps en route to a runner-up finish.
So far this season with Kaulig Racing, the veteran driver has led 33 laps and crossed the finish line in third, all in his first start with the team at Daytona Int’l Speedway on July 5.
As previously announced, Allmendinger is also scheduled to join the No. 10 team at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Aug. 10, Road America on Aug. 24 and at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL on Sept. 28.
The primary partner for the No. 10 Chevrolet at Watkins Glen will be released at a later date.
CONCORD, N.C. — Despite a winless week, Brad Sweet remains atop the National Sprint Car Rankings after the week ending July 14.
With an average finish of 5.154 in 39 starts, Sweet – who also leads the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car standings – holds the top spot over Donny Schatz and Buddy Kofoid, who makes his debut in the national rankings after making his 20th start over the weekend.
Danny Dietrich and David Gravel round out the top five.
Dietrich leads the Eastern region on the strength of 11 victories, while other regional leaders are Kofoid (Great Lakes), Billy Balog (Great Plains), Dominic Scelzi (West), Jacob Patton (Mid-America) and Jack Sodeman Jr. (Ohio-PA).
Dietrich leads the country with 11 victories, while Sweet follows with 10 wins. Aaron Reutzel, Freddie Rahmer and Lance Dewease have each won seven main events.
Eighty-nine drivers have combined to win 199 features run through July 14.
To view National and regional rankings, click below.
Question remains: When will Open return to Trump Turnberry?
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland – The R&A held its annual meet-and-greet with the media on Wednesday at Royal Portrush and it didn’t take long for the usual question about The Open’s possible return to Trump Turnberry to come up.
The Open hasn’t been played at Turnberry, on Scotland’s west coast, since 2009. For some in the United Kingdom, the question has become politically charged since the course is owned by U.S. President Donald Trump and the R&A doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to return to the layout.
“We've talked about this many times in terms of it being part of the pool of courses; nothing's changed from the previous points and comments that I've made on that in respect to taking The Open there,” said Martin Slumbers, the R&A’s chief executive. “But it's absolutely one of the pool of 10 courses.”
Unlike the U.S. Open and PGA Championship, which are scheduled years in advance, The Open is currently slated to go to Royal St. George’s next year, St. Andrews in 2021 and Royal Liverpool in ’22.
The Open has been played at Turnberry four times but with the addition of Royal Portrush, the site of this week’s championship, to the rotation and St. Andrews slated to host the event every five years, it’s going to become increasingly difficult for Ailsa Course to move back into the lineup.
McIlroy leaning on caddie Diamond's playing experience at Royal Portrush
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland – For most, Harry Diamond is simply identified as Rory McIlroy’s caddie. Some might take it a bit deeper and point out the two were best friends growing up in Northern Ireland and that Diamond was the best man at McIlroy’s wedding.
But as McIlroy explained Wednesday at Royal Portrush, site of this week’s Open Championship, Diamond was an accomplished amateur whose experience could be particularly helpful this week.
“I think that's one of the things people don't realize, Harry has played more rounds of golf on this golf course than I have, and definitely more competitive rounds,” said McIlroy, who shot a course-record 61 as a 16-year-old in the North of Ireland Amateur held at Portrush in 2005. “He's just as comfortable on this golf course as I am. So that is a big help this week.”
Diamond was beaten in the North of Ireland finals in 2011 and won the West of Ireland Amateur the next year.
Although McIlroy has played his share of rounds on the Dunluce Links, the first coming as a 10-year-old, he admitted that he will be relying on Diamond this week on a course that’s changed quite a bit in the last 10 years, including two new holes for this year’s Open.
“With Harry's experience around here, not that I don't let him have any say any other week, but I think with his experience around here, my ear will be a little sharper to what he has to say,” McIlroy said.
McDowell avoids 'bittersweet' decision after qualifying for hometown Open
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland – Graeme McDowell spent much of this spring and summer sidestepping a nagging question: would he qualify for this year’s Open at Royal Portrush?
Thanks to a 30-footer for par on the 72nd hole at the RBC Canadian Open in June, McDowell finally had an answer when he earned his spot in the field at Portrush, where he grew up. He also avoided a difficult choice.
Earlier this season, McDowell committed to a charity event in Portrush the Monday of championship week, a commitment he said he’d honor even if he didn’t qualify for the event. He added, however, that he’d not stay to watch the championship if he wasn’t playing.
Asked on Wednesday if he would have been able to leave his hometown during a landmark week, McDowell sidestepped the question.
“Thankfully we'll never know the answer,” he laughed. “I'd say obviously my plan was to do those [charity events] and get out of here, because I couldn't stand to be here, it would be too bittersweet. It would be too tough to watch the guys go out there and compete on this place where I kind of learned the game.”
Fortunately, McDowell didn’t have to make the choice and will instead get a chance to play the course that inspired him to dedicate himself to golf.
“We had the British Amateur come here in '93, which I [was a standard-bearer] for most of the weekend,” he said. “I looked at those guys and realized that I wanted to be a great amateur player.”
Rahm on bizarre Wimbledon look: Not my 'first choice'
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland – Jon Rahm was forced to defend himself Wednesday at The Open, but not against some questionable course-management decision.
It had to do with a recent outfit.
Rahm’s mismatched look while sitting in the celebrity-filled Royal Box at Wimbledon drew plenty of guffaws on social media, including from some of his peers like Thomas Pieters.
Asked by a reporter whether he’d seen Pieters this week, Rahm didn’t appear to find the exchange funny. “I haven’t seen him, no,” he said, “and I’m not necessarily going to look for him after something like that.”
And what about that look?
Rahm said the starry number wasn’t his “first choice of shirt to wear,” but the one he wanted wasn’t ready at the dry cleaners.
“Still, you’ve got to wear it confidence,” he said. “I’d rather not go to a Royal Box with a starred shirt, but it’s what I had. I got compliments in the Royal Box. As far as I’m concerned, it was a good day.”
PERTH, Australia -- Mason Greenwood is in contention to start Manchester United's Premier League opener against Chelsea, according to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, after watching the teenager score his first senior goal in the victory over Leeds United.
The 17-year-old striker, who scored 30 goals in 29 academy games last season, got his first senior goal in the 4-0 win at Optus Stadium on Wednesday and Solskjaer says the youngster has impressed so much that he is an option to start when Chelsea visit Old Trafford on Aug.11.
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"He's got a chance to start [against Chelsea] definitely," Solskjaer told a news conference.
"He's capable, more than capable. He'll always be there in and around the box creating chances.
"I won't say that that's not a possibility [that he will start against Chelsea]. It's a good possibility if he keeps going as he does. It's difficult to keep players out if they keep playing well.
"That first goal is going to be maybe a weight off his shoulders. His movement, cleverness, he's going to be a very good player, the young boy."
Greenwood became the youngest player to start a Premier League game for United when he was picked for the 2-0 defeat to Cardiff on the final day of the season, and the teenager's emergence is well-timed with doubts surrounding Romelu Lukaku's future at the club.
The Belgian, wanted by Inter Milan, sat out the win over Leeds after picking up an injury in training on Tuesday. He only returned to training on Monday after missing the 2-0 victory over Perth Glory on Saturday.
"It's not ideal when you miss training sessions," said Solskjaer.
"He missed towards the end of the training session [on Tuesday] and he missed the game again, so he's missed two chances to play 45 minutes.
"At this stage of the season it's important for us we get everyone fit so hopefully he'll be available soon."
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