Lin falls to HK player, Chen to play Lee today

HONG KONG • Chinese badminton star Lin Dan, 32, crashed out of the Hong Kong Open second round yesterday to little-known hometown player Ng Ka Long, 21, raising questions about whether the two-time Olympic champion's dominance is waning.

Lin, who has won just one Superseries title this year - in Japan in September - lost 8-21, 18-21 in 33 minutes.

Top-ranked Chen Long beat Thailand's Boonsak Ponsana 19-21, 21-8, 21-13 to reach the quarter-finals and set up a rematch with rival Lee Chong Wei. Lee, who beat Chen in Sunday's China Open final, beat Germany's Marc Zwiebler 21-12, 21-12 for his place in the last eight.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

McIlroy two shots behind Dubai leaders

DUBAI • World No. 3 Rory McIlroy fired a four-under 68 in the first round of the DP World Tour Championship yesterday, leaving the Race to Dubai leader two strokes off the lead at the European Tour season-ender.

Martin Kaymer, Andy Sullivan, Marcus Fraser and Ian Poulter shot matching 66s for a share of the lead.

Phelps and fiancee expecting a boy

BALTIMORE (Maryland) • US swim star Michael Phelps, who has won a record 18 Olympic gold medals, announced on Wednesday on social media that he and his fiancee are expecting a baby boy.

On Twitter and Instagram, he sent out a photo with him and the mother-to-be, former Miss California beauty queen Nicole Johnson, holding a tiny pair of boy's swim shorts.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Aussie Jones might be England rugby coach

LONDON • Australian Eddie Jones is set to become England's first overseas rugby coach, according to UK media reports yesterday.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE