Sports — International

Djokovic claws out win in return to Indian Wells

INDIAN WELLS, United States, March 10, 2024 (AFP) – Novak Djokovic struggled to a winning comeback at the ATP-WTA Indian Wells Masters five years after his last appearance, defeating Aleksandar Vukic 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 on Saturday. World number one Djokovic, who had not played since losing an Australian Open semi-final to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in January, is chasing a sixth title at the desert venue in the season’s first Masters event. The 36-year-old Serb […]

Lebron James becomes first NBA player with 40,000 points but Lakers lose

LOS ANGELES, March 3, 2024 (AFP) – LeBron James became the first NBA player to reach 40,000 career regular-season points on Saturday, the 39-year-old superstar scoring nine against defending champion Denver to achieve the milestone. But James called the historic effort “bittersweet” because it came in a losing cause as Nikola Jokic scored 35 points to rally the Nuggets late for a 124-114 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. “Being the first player to do […]

Age barrier ends Pacquiao’s olympic hope; boxing icon bows out gracefully

MANILA, Feb 19, 2024 (AFP) – A “saddened and disappointed” Manny Pacquiao conceded Monday his Olympic boxing dream was over after the ring great was denied a berth at this year’s Paris games. The International Olympic Committee rejected a special request for Pacquiao to take part, the Philippine Olympic Committee announced Sunday. Pacquiao, 45, who hung up his gloves in 2021 before an unsuccessful presidential run, said he respected the decision of the IOC, which […]

Woods withdraws with ‘flu-like’ illness at Riviera, Cantlay leads

By Rebecca BRYAN LOS ANGELES, Feb 17, 2024 (AFP) – Ailing superstar Tiger Woods withdrew in the second round of the Genesis Invitational on Friday in the latest setback for the 15-time major champion. Woods’s longtime business partner Rob McNamara said Woods had felt “flu-like symptoms” on Thursday night and his condition worsened until he called it quits after hitting his tee shot at the seventh hole. “He had a little bit of a fever […]

Lue fined $35,000 over ref ‘cheating’ outburst

LOS ANGELES, Feb 16, 2024 (AFP) – Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue has been fined $35,000 after accusing referees of “cheating” following his team’s win over the Golden State Warriors, the NBA said Friday. League official Joe Dumars said in a statement Lue had been fined for “public criticism of the officiating” and “questioning the integrity” of game officials in Wednesday’s 130-125 victory over the Warriors in San Francisco. Lue was ejected in […]

Ailing Woods pulls out of Genesis Invitational in 2nd round

By Rebecca BRYAN LOS ANGELES, Feb 16, 2024 (AFP) – Golf superstar Tiger Woods withdrew in the second round of the Genesis Invitational because of illness on Friday in the latest setback for the 15-time major champion. The US PGA Tour said Woods pulled out after hitting his tee shot at the seventh hole because of illness. Woods’s longtime business partner Rob McNamara said Woods had felt “flu-like symptoms” on Thursday night. “Woke up this […]

NBA-best Celtics stretch win streak to six by crushing Nets

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 15, 2024 (AFP) – Derrick White scored 27 points and Jayson Tatum added 20 to spark the NBA-best Boston Celtics over Brooklyn 136-86 on Wednesday, the fifth-largest blowout win in club history. The Celtics won their sixth consecutive game, with Payton Pritchard adding 28 points off the bench. Boston, which had beaten Indiana 155-104 in November, became only the third club in NBA history with multiple 50-point or better wins in a […]

Ex-fiance of S. Korean Olympic fencing star jailed 12 years for fraud

SEOUL, Feb 14, 2024 (AFP) – The former fiance of South Korean Olympic fencing medallist Nam Hyun-hee was sentenced to 12 years in prison for fraud Wednesday over a scandal that reverberated across the country last year. The former fiance, Jeon Cheong-jo, was arrested last year on charges of stealing over 3 billion won ($2.2 million) from 27 people between April 2022 and last October, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency. Jeon on Wednesday […]

Kansas City Chiefs defeat San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime to win Super Bowl

LAS VEGAS, Feb 12, 2024 (AFP) – Patrick Mahomes pulled off another Super Bowl comeback on Sunday as the Kansas City Chiefs snatched a thrilling 25-22 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers to win their third NFL championship in five seasons. In a perfectly scripted finale before a celebrity-studded Las Vegas crowd including pop icon Taylor Swift, Mahomes hit Mecole Hardman in the end zone with just three seconds of overtime remaining to seal […]

Wiggins leads NBA Warriors over injury-hit 76ers, Celtics win

LOS ANGELES, Feb 8, 2024 (AFP) – Golden State won back-to-back NBA road games for the first time since early November as Andrew Wiggins delivered 21 points and 10 rebounds on Wednesday in a 127-104 victory at Philadelphia. While two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry managed only nine points, the Warriors led by as many as 30 points, their most in any game this season in routing the injury-hit 76ers. “It’s a team effort,” […]

Shorthanded Lakers stun Celtics, Maxey scores 51 in 76ers win

LOS ANGELES, Feb 2, 2024 (AFP) – A Los Angeles Lakers team missing superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis barreled past the NBA-leading Boston Celtics on Thursday as Tyrese Maxey scored 51 points to lead Philadelphia over Utah. Austin Reaves scored a season-high 32 points to lead the Lakers’ in their 114-105 victory, saying afterward he and the rest of the Lakers had taken to heart James’ blunt demand after Tuesday’s loss to Atlanta that […]

Blazers spoil Lillard’s return to Portland, Durant’s Suns eclipse Nets

LOS ANGELES, Feb 1, 2024 (AFP) – Damian Lillard’s emotional return to Portland opened with an ovation and ended in defeat as the Trail Blazers held off the Milwaukee Bucks 119-116 on Wednesday. Lillard was playing his first game in Portland since the September trade that sent him to Milwaukee after he spent his first 11 NBA seasons as a Blazer. Greeted by a massive standing ovation and feted with a video tribute, Lillard felt […]