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Furthermore, he heads a strong Japanese challenge for honours, Kenta Matsudaira is the no.2 seed, Mizuki Oikawa the no.4 seed; sandwiched in between is Germany’s Ruwen Filus.
Similar to Jin Ueda, both Kenta Matsudaira and Mizuki Oikawa have enjoyed success on the international scene. In 2016 on the ITTF World Tour Kenta Matsudaira won in Austria, last year at the ITTF Challenge Series tournament in Bulgaria, he was the runner up. Meanwhile, also in 2018, Mizuki Oikawa emerged successful in Slovenia.
Candidates for podium finishes apart; together, Jin Ueda and Kenta Matsudaira are also major title contenders; in 2017 not only did Jin Ueda win the men’s singles top prize, he partnered Kenta Matsudaira to men’s doubles gold. In 2019, they are the no.2 seeds behind Germany’s Tobias Hippler and Kilian Ort.
Also further down the list, there are Japanese names to note; especially those of Yuta Tanaka, Kohei Sambe and Masaki Takami.
Last year in Thailand Yuta Tanaka won the under 21 men’s singles title, whilst in 2014 on the ITTF World Tour Kohei Sambe created history. In Chile, by the very narrowest of margins, he beat Argentina’s Rodrigo Gilabert in the final. At the time he was 16 years old and became the youngest player ever to achieve the feat; of course that record has since been beaten by compatriot Tomokazu Harimoto.
Both Yuta Tanaka and Kohei Sambe could well have an influence on proceedings, a situation that applies also to Masaki Takami; in 2017, he was runner up in Belgium.
Notably Masaki Takami and Yuta Tanaka occupy the no.6 seeded position in the men’s doubles event; Yuta Tanaka defends his under 21 men’s singles title, he is the top seed, ahead of Tobias Hippler and Masaki Takami.
An imposing entry from Japan, all players who are just below the line for first team selection; success in Bangkok may not sway the selectors with next year’s World Championships and Olympic Games in mind but could such success provide a springboard for greater things that may just have an influence?
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INDIANAPOLIS – A week after a stunning victory in the IndyCar Grand Prix, Simon Pagenaud continued his impressive month of May by winning the pole for the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500.
The seventh driver to take time during the Fast Nine Shootout Sunday afternoon at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Pagenaud placed his No. 22 Team Penske Chevrolet on the pole thanks to a four-lap average of 229.992 mph.
“It’s just amazing,” Pagenaud said in the moments after officially earning the pole. “Thank you to Team Chevy and Menards. It is incredible to be able to bring this for John (Menard). Obviously last week was amazing, but this is even more special.
“This, this is incredible,” Pagenaud added. “This is the biggest race in the world so obviously I’m on cloud nine.”
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Ed Carpenter, in search of his fourth Indianapolis 500 pole, came up just short with a four-lap average of 229.889 mph. Spencer Pigot, who ended Saturday as the fastest competitor of the 36 who attempted to qualify, took the last spot on the front row for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing with a 229.826 mph lap in his Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet.
“It was flat (out) all four laps. That’s kind of all we can do,” Pigot said.
Ed Jones will lead the second row thanks to a 229.646 mph four-lap average in the ECR/Scuderia Corsa Chevrolet. Colton Herta was the fastest Honda in the field, qualifying fifth for Harding-Steinbrenner Racing at 229.086 mph. Will Power, the defending Indianapolis 500 winner, was sixth at 228.645 mph.
Sebastian Bourdais (228.621 mph), Josef Newgarden (228.396 mph) and Alexander Rossi (228.247 mph) qualified seventh through ninth, respectively.
Pagenaud’s pole is the 18th in the history of Team Penske at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500. He’ll now try to give team owner Roger Penske his 18th victory in the Indianapolis 500 on May 26.
“Just being able to get a pole under my belt here at the speedway is very amazing, but the goal is to win the race,” Pagenaud said.
This report will be updated.
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Below is the starting lineup for the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500, scheduled to take place May 26, 2019 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Ind.
Row 1
1. (22) Simon Pagenaud, Chevrolet, 229.992 mph
2. (20) Ed Carpenter, Chevrolet, 229.889 mph
3. (21) Spencer Pigot, Chevrolet, 229.826 mph
Row 2
4. (63) Ed Jones, Chevrolet, 229.646 mph
5. (88) Colton Herta, Honda, 229.086 mph
6. (12) Will Power, Chevrolet 228.645 mph
Row 3
7. (18) Sebastien Bourdais, Honda, 228.621 mph
8. (2) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 228.396 mph
9. (27) Alexander Rossi, Honda, 228.247 mph
Row 4
10. (98) Marco Andretti, Honda, 228.756 mph
11. (25) Conor Daly, Honda, 228.617 mph
12. (3) Helio Castroneves, Chevrolet, 228.523 mph
Row 5
13. (7) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, 228.511 mph
14. (30) Takuma Sato, Honda, 228.300 mph
15. (33) James Davison, Honda, 228.273 mph
Row 6
16. (14) Tony Kanaan, Chevrolet, 228.120 mph
17. (15) Graham Rahal, Honda, 228.104 mph
18. (9) Scott Dixon, Honda, 228.100 mph
Row 7
19. (77) Oriol Servia, Honda, 227.991 mph
20. (23) Charlie Kimball, Chevrolet, 227.915 mph
21. (48) J.R. Hildebrand, Chevrolet, 227.908 mph
Row 8
22. (28) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Honda, 227.877 mph
23. (19) Santino Ferrucci, Honda, 227.731 mph
24. (4) Matheus Leist, Chevrolet, 227.717 mph
Row 9
25. (60) Jack Harvey, Honda, 227.695 mph
26. (42) Jordan King, Honda, 227.502 mph
27. (81) Ben Hanley, Chevrolet, 227.482 mph
Row 10
28. (26) Zach Veach, Honda, 227.341 mph
29. (10) Felix Rosenqvist, Honda, 227.297 mph
30. (39) Pippa Mann, Chevrolet, 227.244 mph
Row 11
31. (24) Sage Karam, Chevrolet, 227.740 mph
32. (5) James Hinchcliffe, Honda, 227.543 mph
33. (32) Kyle Kaiser, Chevrolet, 227.372 mph
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BOWMANVILLE, Ontario – TRG/The Racers Group driver Spencer Pumpelly, behind the wheel of his Porsche 718 Cayman CS MR, won Sunday afternoon’s Pirelli GT4 America Sprint series race at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.
The 50-minute, 35-lap contest featured fierce action right from the start. Saturday’s race winner and second-starter Nicolai Elghanayan got the jump on pole sitter Pumpelly to take the lead through turn one. Pumpelly then passed Elghanayan through turns nine and 10 only to relinquish the lead once again on lap two through turn three.
Before lap two could be completed, Pumpelly then re-passed for the lead while Gar Robinson and Ian James moved past Elghanayan who started to fall back into the pack. Am division driver Jarett Andretti led in class and was fifth overall.
The leaders held their positions until lap nine when Andretti gained two position up into third. Also, on a charge up from 8th, three-time series champion Michael Cooper moved up to fourth. By lap 13, Andretti continued his charge moving up to second overall.
By lap 14 the top-five were Pumpelly, Andretti, Robinson, Cooper and James. While Andretti led the Am division, Drew Staveley ran ninth overall, second in the Am class.
Cooper continued his charge on lap 20 moving past Robinson to slot into 3rd. James then moved past Robinson on lap 22 through turns three to move into fourth. By lap 25 Andretti started to close on Pumpelly reducing the gap to .325 seconds. On lap 27 Andretti moved side-by-side with Pumpelly through turn eight but the driver of the No. 66 machine defended well holding on to maintain the lead.
With under 10 minutes remaining in the contest, battles behind Pumpelly ensued as Andretti and Cooper dueled on lap 31. James then passed Cooper for third on lap 31, only to have Cooper re-pass him. The battles allowed Pumpelly to gap the group behind him.
At the checkered, Pumpelly crossed the line in first by 1.4 seconds. Cooper finished second, James third, Stacy fourth and Andretti fifth, first in the Am class.
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SAN JOSE, Calif. -- From the scoreboard to the trainers' room, the San Jose Sharks were bruised and battered in Game 5 by the St. Louis Blues.
There was the 5-0 final score, as lopsided in the final math as it appeared on the ice, with the Blues controlling play from the second period onward to take a 3-2 series lead in the Western Conference finals. But more distressingly for San Jose, there were a parade of injuries that left the Sharks without key players Tomas Hertl, Joe Pavelski and Erik Karlsson in the third period, thwarting any hope of a rally.
"You don't want to make excuses, but some pretty key guys that are going down, some offensive guys that when you're playing from behind like that, it's tough to push the pace," said Sharks defenseman Brenden Dillon, who is typically Karlsson's partner. "We had a couple chances on the power play to kind of get some traction and some looks, but I think at the end of the day we need to kind of ramp up our level instead of go the other way."
Karlsson's status was questionable before Game 5, after missing eight critical minutes of the third period of Game 4. He didn't look much better on Sunday afternoon, clearly laboring in his skating and playing passively, a result of what has been speculated to be a groin injury for the 28-year-old star defenseman.
That was evident on two of the Blues' first three goals. At 5:50 of the first period, Karlsson misfired on a pass to Dillon and Oskar Sundqvist snapped a goal past Martin Jones, using Karlsson as a screen. "They scored where we turned it over and inadvertently screened our own goalie. Joner didn't really have a chance on that one," Couture said.
Historically known for his closing speed as a defenseman, Karlsson was unable to race back to defend Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko on a breakaway. Brent Burns tripped him on a breakaway, and Tarasenko deposited the puck over Jones' glove on an penalty shot for a 3-0 lead.
After playing 7:29 in the first period, Karlsson played just 3:03 in the second period and did not return for the third.
Sharks coach Peter DeBoer was asked if he regretted playing Karlsson in his condition in a critical Game 5. "Hindsight is 20/20, you know? We make those decisions based on the reports we get from the player and the medical [staff]," he said. "The report was that he felt he could play and get through the game. It's easy to sit here and say now, 'Yeah, sure you have regrets.'"
The other two injuries occurred during the game, on questionable hits from the Blues.
The Barbashev hit on Hertl.#SJSharks #STLBlues pic.twitter.com/kAXPyjo3Ma
— Brodie Brazil (@BrodieNBCS) May 19, 2019
Hertl was hit high by Ivan Barbashev in the first period, and did not play in the third period. DeBoer argued it should have been a major penalty.
"Arguably five-minute major on Tommy Hertl that, if it's called, maybe that's a momentum-changing play right there," he said. "But we come out of the first down 1-0, and then Hertl can't go and, you know, Karlsson can't go. So we started taking on some water."
The flood continued when Pavelski was hit high by Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and went to the dressing room just 1:31 into the third period.
Pavelski, who missed six games with a concussion in the second round against Colorado, did not return to the game. Joonas Donskoi, who was hit in the face with a puck during the game, returned to play in the third period.
Couture said that the NHL's Department of Player Safety may have paved the way for hits like the one that took Hertl out of Game 5 by not disciplining Blues forward Sammy Blais for his Game 3 headshot on defenseman Justin Braun.
"I saw the Hertl hit. I just watched the replay. Yeah, that's a tough one. But, I mean, when they had one earlier in Game 3 on the hit on [Justin] Braun and nothing happened, so they can do it again, right?" he said.
Couture also wasn't happy with the way the Sharks responded to that physicality in the third period, taking five minor penalties with Evander Kane and Micheal Haley picking up 10-minute misconducts.
"[We need to] control our emotions in the third. It's a three-goal game, we obviously took way too many penalties. You can't win or come back when you're in the box all period. It got away from us at the end. I would have really liked us to control our emotions and at least give ourselves a chance," he said.
The Blues knew the Sharks would attempt to play more physically as the game got out of reach. "We knew they were going to come out in the third period and look to hit. But we just try to focus on our game, we try to keep our cool. They can run around, but I think the refs handled it pretty good," St. Louis defenseman Joel Edmondson said. "I'm not going to poke the bear or anything. We're just happy with the way we played and we kept our cool."
The Blues have to be feeling cool heading back home for Game 6, seeking their first Stanley Cup Final berth since 1970. They've outscored the Sharks 7-1 since that controversial hand-pass goal that ended Game 3 in overtime. They controlled much of Game 5 after ceding the puck possession advantage to San Jose in Game 4.
And now they can add team health to the list of advantages. Sharks coach Peter DeBoer offered no update on the status of Pavelski, Hertl or Karlsson for Game 6.
Couture said the Sharks have faced this kind of adversity all postseason.
"We're still alive. We've been in this spot before, going to Vegas down 3-2 in a very difficult building. St. Louis is similar, it's a tough building against a good team. A structured team. We scored one goal in the last two games, that's not going to cut it," he said.
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Varner (81) 'a little pissed,' but he 'still had a good time'
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Golf
Sunday, 19 May 2019 13:36
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – Stepping into the cauldron of the final group in the final round of a major, Harold Varner III showed just how quickly things can spiral out of control.
Varner played his way into Sunday’s anchor pairing alongside Brooks Koepka with three rounds of steady play, entering the finale at Bethpage at 5 under, seven shots off the lead. He got to within five after a clinical dissection of the opening hole, combining a birdie with a bogey from Koepka.
But that was as close as he’d get, as Varner bogeyed No. 3 before disaster struck on the par-5 fourth. He pulled his drive into thick rough and then his second shot found more trouble, bounding into trees and leading to a lost ball. He made a double bogey and didn’t make another birdie the rest of the way, signing for an 11-over 81 that dropped him into a tie for 36th.
“I was super excited, man. It’s a great opportunity. I just don’t know how you can’t get up for that,” Varner said. “I just didn’t play very well. I didn’t do what I was supposed to do. But I’m excited I had the opportunity, and I’m excited to learn from it and get better.”
Varner won the Australian PGA Championship in 2016, but he remains in search of his first PGA Tour win and entered the week ranked 174th in the world. While his first brush with contention on a major stage didn’t go as planned, he took plenty of positives from the experience with the hopes of returning in the not-too-distant future.
“It’s hard, but I still had a good time. That’s kind of what you play for,” Varner said. “So it’s all right. Obviously I’m a little pissed right now. You want to do well. I don’t know who else doesn’t. But I’m going to get a lot better from it.”
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Koepka fueled by negative energy from fans: 'Kind of deserved it'
Published in
Golf
Sunday, 19 May 2019 13:44
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – After playing the first two rounds alongside Tiger Woods and building a seven-shot lead through 54 holes, Brooks Koepka received plenty of support from the raucous crowds gathered at Bethpage for the PGA Championship. But around these parts, even the Yankees get booed during a losing streak.
Such was the case Sunday, as Koepka’s seemingly insurmountable lead dwindled to a single shot after the defending champ rattled off four straight bogeys on Nos. 11-14. It left Koepka in a state of “shock,” with Dustin Johnson closing the gap two holes ahead of him, and it sparked an abrupt turn among the fans lining the closing stretch on the Black Course.
While some shifted their support to Johnson, who had closed the gap with a birdie on No. 15, others opted to vocally root against Koepka as he trundled down the large hill toward the 15th tee box.
“I thought it was pretty weird how they were telling Brooks to choke. That’s not my cup of tea,” said Harold Varner III, who played the final round alongside Koepka. “I was pulling for him after that. I have a few choice words for that.”
Koepka steadied the ship with a par on No. 15, and after a pair of Johnson bogeys he eventually won by two shots. Admitting that he “half-choked” during his back-nine bogey barrage, Koepka shared that the negative energy from the fans actually fueled him over the final few holes as he sought to keep Johnson at bay.
“I think I kind of deserved it. You’re going to rattle off four in a row and it looks like you’re going to lose it; I’ve been to sporting events in New York. I know how it goes,” Koepka said. “I think it actually helped. It was at a perfect time because I was just thinking, ‘OK, all right, I’ve got everybody against me. Let’s go.’”
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Koepka: Chamblee questioning toughness 'really pissed me off'
Published in
Golf
Sunday, 19 May 2019 13:49
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – It turns out Brooks Koepka will have the final word in a spat with Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee that began at last month’s Masters.
Chamblee had taken a hard line on Koepka, first criticizing a recent weight loss and then questioning his toughness.
“His talent is undeniable,” Chamblee said during “Live From The Masters” following Round 2. “But I’ve heard people say this. You extrapolate from accomplishment, you infer qualities from a human being like, ‘He’s really tough.’ Maybe he is, I don’t know. I've got to say, I still need to be convinced.”
After his fourth major victory on Sunday in his eighth Grand Slam start Koepka was asked if a particular criticism stood out to him.
“Telling me I wasn't tough. That pissed me off. That really pissed me off,” said Koepka, who beat world No. 1 Dustin Johnson by two strokes at Bethpage.
The dispute escalated earlier this month when Chamblee was asked during a podcast with Jaime Diaz if Tiger Woods was currently the game’s best player. In a perceived slight by omission, Chamblee said Rory McIlroy and Johnson were the players “who could hang with [Woods].”
Koepka responded to Chamblee’s comment on Twitter, with a picture of him wearing a clown nose.
Asked on Sunday at Bethpage who questioned his toughness Koepka didn’t mention Chamblee by name. “I think we all know,” he said.
Late on Sunday, Chamblee gave the champ credit, saying, “He’s made a believer out of me.”
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Koepka nearly collapses with four straight bogeys: 'In shock, I think'
Published in
Golf
Sunday, 19 May 2019 14:06
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – Brooks Koepka’s stoic demeanor has become as much a part of his persona as his powerful drives, But late on Sunday at the PGA Championship, as his lead was slashed to a single stroke, that calm resilience was tested.
“I wasn't nervous. I was just in shock, I think. I was in shock of what was kind of going on,” said Koepka, who won his fourth major title and second PGA.
What was going on was a borderline collapse from Koepka, who saw a seven-shot lead slipping away as he bogeyed Nos. 11, 12, 13 and 14.
“I can't tell you the last time I made four bogeys in a row,” Koepka said.
His anxiety likely reached its peak on the par-3 14th hole, when his tee shot sailed through the wind and over the green. As Koepka prepared to hit a delicate pitch, Dustin Johnson, playing in the group ahead, birdied the 15th hole to cut Koepka's advantage to just one.
Although he stopped short of calling it nervousness, Koepka’s caddie Ricky Elliott said it was the first time he’s seen his boss anxious on the golf course.
“I just got the feeling we were dropping so many shots. Anybody would get nervous,” Elliott said. “When [Johnson] birdied 15, we heard the roar and we were making a mess of 14. We just talked going down the hill, 'Listen we’re still there, we’re still in the lead, he’s got tough holes to play. You’ve bogeyed four in a row so there’s a good chance you’re going to par a few.'”
Koepka stopped the slide with pars at Nos. 15 and 16 and scrambled for a par at the last hole for a two-stroke victory.
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