Soong slams Syed Modi organisers for chaotic journey that disrupted his focus

PETALING JAYA: Shuttler Soong Joo Ven slammed the organisers of the Syed Modi International in Lucknow after going through a chaotic journey from his hotel to the tournament venue for his men’s singles quarter-final match. Independent player Joo Ven opened up about the difficulties he was forced to face before facing Frenchman Alex Lanier in the...

Motor racing-F1 driver Bottas raises $150,000 with Bottass nude calendar

(Reuters) - Formula One driver Valtteri Bottas has raised $150,000 for men's health charity Movember after a 'Bottass 2024' calendar featuring photographs of him baring his backside sped off the shelves. An initial run of 10,000, with five euros ($5.46) from each going to prostate cancer research, swiftly sold out with more printed. "Thank you so much...

Zii Jia can breathe easier after getting back to where he belongs

PETALING JAYA: It’s a relief to Lee Zii Jia (pic) as he is back in the top 10 in the latest world rankings yesterday following a drastic improvement in his performance in several Badminton World Federation (BWF) tournaments since the Asian Games in Hangzhou. The independent shuttler moved one spot from world No. 11 to world...

Kawasaki ends JDT’s run in the AFC Champions League

PETALING JAYA: Johor Darul Ta’zim’s (JDT) campaign in the AFC Champions League was halted due to a humbling 0-5 defeat to Kawasaki Frontale at the Todoroki Stadium in Japan on Tuesday (Nov 28). Goals from Akihiro Ienaga (eighth minute), Leandro Damiao (50th), Marcinho (60th), Yu Kobayashi (69th) and Miki Yamane (88th) completed a comfortable win for...

Coach wants Chen-Toh to do their best to reach Tour Finals semis

PETALING JAYA: Mixed doubles coach Nova Widianto has challenged top pair Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei to at least reach the last four of the World Tour Finals from Dec 13-17 in Hangzhou. Tang Jie-Ee Wei had made the cut for the prestigious season ending Finals for the first time after clinching the eighth and final...

Pearly-Thinaah need proper scheduling to avoid injuries

PETALING JAYA: Managing shuttler Pearly Tan’s physical condition and tournament schedule will be women’s doubles coach Hoon Thien How’s main priority leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympics. Pearly faces a defining year along with M. Thinaah as the pair seek to qualify for their maiden Olympics. Thien How believes that the national No. 1 pair need...

Naraoka nails biggest title so far

PETALING JAYA: Japan’s Kodai Naraoka captured his biggest title so far in the men’s singles in the China Masters. Surprisingly, World Championships silver medallist Naraoka’s only World Tour title before this had been the Super 100 Vietnam Open last year. The world No. 5 Japanese rose to the occasion to out-play teammate and world No. 13 Kenta...

Zii Jia heads for short holiday to recharge for next year’s Malaysian Open

PETALING JAYA: Professional shuttler Lee Zii Jia’s inability to break through Kenta Nishimoto’s brick-like defence cost him dearly in the men’s singles quarter-finals of the China Masters. World No. 11 Zii Jia fell to a disappointing 11-21, 12-21 defeat at the hands of world No. 13 Nishimoto at the Shenzhen Bay Gymnasium yesterday. Zii Jia struggled to...

Rexy downplays communication issue between Pearly and Thinaah

PETALING JAYA: National coaching director Rexy Mainaky has played down the lack of communication between women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M. Thinaah in the China Masters. Something seemed amiss between Pearly and Thinaah in their first-round match against South Korea’s Jeong Na-eun-Kim Hye-jeong where the duo barely spoke to each other. Pearly-Thinaah went on to lose narrowly 11-21,...

End of road for Aaron-Wooi and Wei Chong-Kai Wun

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s campaign in the men’s doubles came to end when Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik and Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun crashed out in the second round of the China Masters in Shenzhen on Thursday (Nov 23). World No. 2 Aaron-Wooi Yik battled for 75 minutes before losing to China’s He Jiting-Ren Xiangyu 25-27, 21-18,...