All S'pore paddlers out of world c'ships

Singapore's involvement in the World Table Tennis Championships came to an end on Friday, as world No. 68 doubles pair Koen Pang and Lin Ye were knocked out by Chinese Taipei duo Lin Yun-ju and Cheng I-ching.

The Taiwanese world No. 2s won the last-32 match 3-0 (11-8, 11-9, 11-6) at the George R. Brown Convention Centre in Houston.

New virus variant hits 2 cricket events

LONDON • The women's cricket World Cup qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe has been abandoned after the discovery of a new Covid-19 variant, Omicron, in South Africa that prompted travel curbs, the International Cricket Council said yesterday.

The decision was made after a Sri Lankan support staff member tested positive.

The men's one-day international series between South Africa and the Netherlands has also been postponed.

REUTERS

'Respect' between golfing rivals

LAS VEGAS • Whether it settles their feud once and for all remains to be seen, but Brooks Koepka beat Bryson DeChambeau 4 & 3 in a 12-hole edition of "The Match" on Friday at Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas.

The duo's rivalry took over headlines in the golf world for the better part of a year, but both spoke of "respect" for the other after the game.

REUTERS

Chan and Kim lead by two in Phuket

BANGKOK • Chinese Taipei's Chan Shih-chang and America's Sihwan Kim shared a two-shot lead after the third round of the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship yesterday.

The pair are at 14-under 202 after both carded 68 and hit five birdies. Thailand's Sadom Kaewkanjana (72) is third.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE