WTA Elite champion Barty savours success
ZHUHAI (China) • Ashleigh Barty hailed a "truly phenomenal year" after winning the WTA Elite Trophy in China yesterday.
The Australian overcame home favourite Wang Qiang 6-3, 6-4 in the Zhuhai final and climbed to world No. 15 - the highest of her career.
The 22-year-old added that her "goal was to stay (in the) top 20" before preparing for bigger and better things next year.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Marquez wins in Sepang, Rossi crashes
KUALA LUMPUR • Spanish world champion Marc Marquez won his ninth race of the MotoGP season and 44th overall after Italian Valentino Rossi crashed out four laps from the finish while leading the Malaysian Grand Prix yesterday.
Marquez wrapped up his fifth world title with three races to spare in Japan last month, but looked set for second place at the Sepang International Circuit until Rossi's crash.
His 40min 32.372sec victory also secured the constructors' championship for Honda for the fourth straight year with one round of the season left.
REUTERS
Hataoka wins second LPGA title of season
TOKYO • Nasa Hataoka shot a dazzling five-under 67 to win the Japan Classic by two strokes yesterday, her second LPGA Tour triumph this season.
The 19-year-old became the first Japanese in seven years to win the title, firing seven birdies with two bogeys to finish on 14-under 202 at Seta Golf Club in Shiga.
Compatriot Momoko Ueda shot five birdies with a bogey to share second with fellow Japanese Saki Nagamine and Spain's Carlota Ciganda, as all three fired 68s.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Rose back at No. 1 after Turkish victory
BELEK (Turkey) • England's Justin Rose reclaimed the men's world No. 1 ranking yesterday after overcoming a three-stroke deficit to capture a second straight Turkish Airlines Open with a play-off victory in Belek.
The 38-year-old golfer shot a four-under 68 in the final round to finish tied on 17 under with China's Li Haotong (71) on the Regnum Caya course.
Rose, who was ranked top for two weeks in September, then putted out for a par four at the first extra hole moments before the 23-year Li horribly three-putted for bogey.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Rakhimov elected despite controversy
MOSCOW • Gafur Rakhimov was elected president of the International Boxing Association (Aiba) on Saturday, despite fears that his appointment could lead to the sport's ejection from the Olympic Games.
Rakhimov won 86 of the 134 second-round votes in the ballot in Moscow to defeat his only opponent, former boxer Serik Konakbayev of Kazakhstan.
The Uzbek businessman has courted controversy after being recently linked to organised crime by the US Treasury Department, although Rakhimov has vigorously denied the allegations, calling it a "mistake".
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
