Sports World : Osaka on right track in bid for clay-court title

MADRID • Naomi Osaka began her quest to capture a first clay-court title with a 7-5, 6-2 win over fellow Japanese Misaki Doi in the opening round of the Madrid Open yesterday.

The four-time Grand Slam champion and world No. 2 eased into the last 32 in 87 minutes on the back of six aces and five breaks of serve.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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Bradley takes 2-shot lead at Valspar C'ship

MIAMI • Keegan Bradley fired his "best round" of the year on Thursday - a stress-free seven-under 64 - giving him a two-shot lead after the first round of the PGA Valspar Championship.

Fellow Americans Patton Kizzire, Ryan Moore, Max Homa and Hank Lebioda were part of a group sharing second on 66, including Argentina's Emiliano Grillo.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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Porter youngest to hit landmark 50 points

HOUSTON • Kevin Porter became the youngest National Basketball Association (NBA) player to post a 50-point double-double as the Houston Rockets, the worst team in the league, snapped a five-game losing skid with a 143-136 upset win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.

The 20-year-old guard, who also had 11 assists, surpassed his previous career best of 30 points, joining LeBron James, Brandon Jennings and Devin Booker as the only players to score 50 points in an NBA game before turning 21.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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La Liga title race set to go down to the wire

MADRID • Barcelona spurned the chance to go top of the table on Thursday as a shock 2-1 home defeat by Granada added another twist to La Liga's most unpredictable title race in years.

The Catalans stay third, level on 71 points with second-placed Real Madrid, as Atletico Madrid retain their two-point advantage at the top, while Sevilla in fourth remain just three points off first place with only five games left.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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Footwear technology is cheating: Loroupe

LONDON • Athletes using new running shoe technology to set records are "cheating", Kenya's former marathon world-record holder Tegla Loroupe has said as debate continues to rage over whether high-tech footwear will give runners an unfair advantage.

Nike has launched a new version of its Alphafly footwear that complies with new rules introduced by World Athletics, but Loroupe told the BBC "that for me, there is no difference between doping and having a faster shoe".

REUTERS