Singapore shuttlers all out at Asian event
WUHAN (China) • Singapore's shuttlers ended their run at the Badminton Asia Championships in the second round yesterday.
Women's singles player Liang Xiaoyu was beaten by China's No. 6 Wang Yihan 13-21, 14-21. Men's doubles pair Terry Hee and Loh Kean Hean were no match for China's world No. 4 duo Fu Haifeng and Zhang Nan, losing 16-21, 12-21.
Feng off to winning start in title defence
DUBAI • Singapore paddler Feng Tianwei got her Asian Cup title defence off to a good start yesterday, as she won her first two group- stage matches.
The world No. 7 beat Chinese Taipei's world No. 27 Chen Szu-yu 8-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8, before a 8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 9-11, 11-6 over Japan's Mima Ito. She had not played her remaining group stage match against Hong Kong's Jiang Huajun by press time.
Compatriot Yu Mengyu lost 4-11, 8-11, 11-9, 6-11 to China's world No. 5 Li Xiaoxia, but beat Noura Almaazmi of the United Arab Emirates 11-6, 11-3, 11-4. The world No. 23 was slated to play South Korean Yang Ha Eun late yesterday.
Benzema unlikey to face City in 2nd leg
MADRID • Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema is a major doubt for their Champions League semi-final, second leg against Manchester City on Wednesday after the club confirmed that he has a hamstring strain.
He came off at half-time of Tuesday's 0-0 draw in the first leg against City.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Hills borough families to sue police
LONDON • The families of Hillsborough victims are to launch a multi-million- pound high court claim against two police forces for "abuse on an industrial scale". Lawyers acting for those affected by the football disaster said yesterday they had launched proceedings against the South Yorkshire and West Midlands forces in England.
THE GUARDIAN
Match off after player gets hit by firework
STOCKHOLM • A top-flight Swedish league football match between IFK Gothenburg and Malmo was abandoned after 78 minutes on Wednesday when a firework exploded under the feet of Malmo's Tobias Sana. He was escorted away by security guards and the match was abandoned with the score at 0-0.
THE GUARDIAN
