Paire unrepentant after shameful loss

BUENOS AIRES • Benoit Paire crashed out of the Argentina Open in disgrace on Thursday after he was docked a point for spitting, and then "tanked" his final service game in a stormy second-round clash against local favourite Francisco Cerundolo.

After his 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 second-round loss, the French world No. 29, a renowned hothead, was defiant on social media, boasting of US$8.5 million (S$11.4 million) in career earnings and said "it's worth it to suck".

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Paris to hold Olympic Euro boxing qualifiers

LONDON • The rescheduled Tokyo Olympics European boxing qualifiers will be held in Paris from June 4 to 8, the International Olympic Committee Boxing Task Force (BTF) said yesterday.

The event began in London last March before being suspended amid the Covid-19 pandemic and the BTF decided to move the event from the British capital in January following a surge of cases in the country.

REUTERS

Bilbao to play two Cup finals in two weeks

VALENCIA • An extra-time goal from Alex Berenguer sealed Athletic Bilbao's place in a second successive King's Cup final when they beat Levante 2-1 on Thursday for a 3-2 aggregate victory. Bilbao will play La Liga rivals Real Sociedad in last season's postponed Cup final on April 3, before taking on Barcelona in this year's final a fortnight later.

REUTERS

Celebratory hugs outlawed after races

PARIS • Riders will be banned from celebratory hugs with teammates after races as part of Covid-19 protocols introduced this season by cycling's governing body UCI.

The ruling appears to be more symbolic than anything else, but UCI's medical chief Xavier Bigard said: "It is all about the message we want to send to the world, and more specifically to cycling fans."

REUTERS