First-day blues for Singapore shuttlers
BANGKOK • It was a bad start to the Year of the Monkey for six Singapore shuttlers at the Thailand Masters.
Men's singles player Derek Wong was bundled out in the opening round on Monday by Indonesia's Sukamta Evert 21-12, 21-19 and was soon followed by Loh Kean Yew, who lost to India's Sameer Verma 21-19, 21-13.
Yesterday, Liang Xiaoyu was beaten in the women's singles by Indonesia's Ruselli Hartawan 21-13, 7-21, 21-14 and mixed doubles pair Danny Bawa Chrisnanta and Vanessa Neo lost to Thais Nipitphon Puangpuapech and Jongkolphan Kititharakul 21-16, 13-16, 21-16.
Chayut Triyachart and his Thai mixed doubles partner also lost but Terry Hee and Tan Wei Han upset Korean fifth seeds Choi Sol Gyu and Eom Hye Won 21-14, 19-21. 27-25.
Inaugural award win for OUE S'pore Open
The OUE Singapore Open was named the inaugural winner of the award for the AIPS Badminton Commission's Best Media Facility 2015 yesterday.
The contest was open to Superseries and major Badminton World Federation events as well as some Grand Prix events on the world circuit. The Singapore Open came out tops over the Dubai World Superseries Finals and the China Open.
German FA acts on refund for Cup bid
BERLIN • The German Football Association (DFB) is reported to have sent a bill for €6.7 million (S$10.57 million) to a former official who helped organise the scandal-hit 2006 World Cup.
German daily Bild claims Fedor Radmann, the deputy president of the organising committee for the 2006 World Cup hosted by Germany, has been informed that he has 20 days to prove he has transferred the sum.
The €6.7 million corresponds to the cash transferred by the organising committee to football's world governing body Fifa in 2000, just days before Germany won the right to host the 2006 World Cup.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Murray's wife gives birth to daughter
LONDON • British tennis star Andy Murray has become a father for the first time after his wife Kim Sears gave birth to a girl on Sunday.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Waugh 'most selfish' cricketer: Warne
SYDNEY • Cricket great Shane Warne has blasted former Australian captain Steve Waugh as "the most selfish cricketer I've played with" in a long-running feud between the pair.
The former team-mates fell out years ago with Warne holding a grudge after Waugh played a part in his axing on the 1999 tour of the West Indies.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
