Good show by Hee & Tan in Korea despite defeat
Singapore mixed doubles badminton pair Terry Hee and Tan Wei Han's fine run in the Korea Masters in Jeju came to an end in the semi-finals yesterday, when the third seeds lost to Korean top seeds Ko Sung Hyun and Kim Ha Na 14-21, 21-17, 7-21.
All the other top seeds - in the men's and women's singles and doubles - reached today's finals.
Zeng exits after late slip-up against HK's Doo
Even though she held a 3-2 advantage, Singapore paddler Zeng Jian was beaten by Hong Kong's Doo Hoi Kem in the quarter-finals of the Under-21 women's singles at the ITTF World Tour Grand Finals in Doha.
The youngster went down 7-11, 11-7, 18-16, 8-11, 11-5, 2-11, 5-11, ending the Republic's interest in the season-ending tournament.
Uefa not certain to support mega World Cup
NYON (Switzerland) • European football's governing body has been left in the dark over the future format of the World Cup and was not certain it would vote for an expanded tournament, its president Aleksander Ceferin said on Friday.
The Fifa council, whose 37 members include seven from Uefa, is due to vote next month on the format of the tournament from 2026 onwards.
Fifa chief Gianni Infantino wants to increase the number of teams at the World Cup from 32 to 48.
REUTERS
Double upset in world short-course c'ships
MONTREAL• United States teenager Michael Andrew and Jesse Puts of the Netherlands were surprise winners on Friday at the short-course world swimming championships.
The 17-year-old Andrew won the 100m individual medley in 51.84sec. He edged out Rio Olympic bronze medallist Daiya Seto, who took silver in 52.01sec, with another Japanese Shinri Shioura third in 52.17sec.
Puts pulled off the upset in the men's 50m freestyle, pulling away to win in 21.10sec over Vladimir Morozov and Simonas Bilis.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Barca beat Osasuna for 1st win in 4 La Liga games
MADRID • Lionel Messi struck twice yesterday as Barcelona recorded their first win in four La Liga games with a 3-0 win at Osasuna.
Luis Suarez rounded off a fine team move to break the deadlock just before the hour before Messi's double in the final 17 minutes. Barcelona are second behind Real Madrid in the standings with 31 points from 15 games.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Little-known Aussie and Bello in joint lead
HONG KONG • Unheralded Australian Sam Brazel shot a three-under 67 to grab a share of the lead with playing partner Rafa Cabrera Bello, after the third round of golf's Hong Kong Open at Fanling on Saturday.
He soared up the leader board with three birdies on the back nine as Spaniard Cabrera Bello, the overnight leader, endured a roller-coaster even-par round.
The pair were locked on an 11-under total of 199, two strokes ahead of Englishman Tommy Fleetwood (67) heading into the final round.
REUTERS
Correction note: This story has been edited to correct the score of the first set of the badminton match between Singapore's Terry Hee and Tan Wei Han and Korea's Ko Sung Hyun and Kim Ha Na. We are sorry for the error.
