Feng and Yu have their work cut out
Singapore's leading women's paddlers face top Chinese opposition in the quarter-finals of the Korea Open in Incheon today. Feng Tianwei plays world No. 1 Liu Shiwen while Yu Mengyu takes on third-ranked Zhu Yuling.
Yesterday, Feng beat South Korean Jeon Ji Hee 4-1, while Yu took out Austrian Liu Jia by the same scoreline. But Yu and Zhou Yihan lost 0-3 to Hong Kong's Lee Ho Ching and Tie Yana in the doubles quarter-finals.
Olympic champion Zhang Jike of China was the shock casualty in the men's singles round of 32, losing 3-4 to Chinese Taipei's Chen Chien-an in an enthralling match.
Mardan's chances of Rio spot fast fading
Singapore golfer Mardan Mamat's Olympic hopes dimmed further, after he missed the cut at the Japan Tour's ISPS Handa Global Cup despite shooting a one-under 70 yesterday.
He finished on 142, two shots above the cut line at Tokinodai Country Club in Ishikawa prefecture.
Park Sang Hyun (69) and Emiliano Grillo (67) were co-leaders on 132.
No Italy post for Lippi owing to son's role
MONTPELLIER • World Cup-winning coach Marcelo Lippi could not take up the post of Italy's technical director yesterday because of a conflict of interest.
His son Davide has worked as a players' agent for more than 10 years and that contravened the Italian football federation's rules.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Petrov takes first step in comeback
LONDON • Stiliyan Petrov will train with English football club Aston Villa's first team in pre-season, four years after being diagnosed with leukaemia.
The 36-year-old, who is in remission after his battle with acute leukaemia, announced in April that he was planning to make a comeback.
THE GUARDIAN
Reds upbeat in quest for Mane
LONDON • Liverpool have received encouraging signs in their quest to sign Sadio Mane from Southampton, with the Senegal forward hoping to join Jurgen Klopp's Premier League side for around £30 million (S$55.7 million).
Mane, a product of the Metz academy who moved to St Mary's in 2014 for around £12 million, has emerged as a main transfer target for Liverpool despite continued interest in Bayern Munich's Mario Gotze.
THE GUARDIAN
