Digest

SNOOKER

Ding sent packing by Pang at Welsh Open

China's Ding Junhui suffered a shock exit at the Welsh Open on Wednesday, with the world No 9 crashing to a 4-2 second-round loss against compatriot Pang Junxu.

Neither player managed a century break during a scrappy encounter, with Pang－a 21-year-old who hails from Jiangsu province－clinching victory in the sixth frame, 65-62.

China's Masters champion Yan Bingtao swept Frenchman Brian Ochoiski 4-0 to reach the third round.

Yan will next face compatriot Xiao Guodong, who advanced with a 4-1 triumph over Gary Wilson.

World No 1 Judd Trump overcame China's Si Jiahui 4-2 to set up a third-round clash against Hossein Vafaei. Iranian Vafaei edged China's Zhao Xintong 4-3.

BASEBALL

Tatis commits future to Padres in 14-year deal

Fernando Tatis Jr. has agreed to a 14-year deal that will keep the electrifying shortstop with the San Diego Padres until he's 35 years old, according to two people familiar with the situation.

Reports from The Athletic and other outlets indicate the contract is worth $340 million. The two sources spoke to Associated Press on condition of anonymity on Wednesday night because the deal hadn't been announced.

The 22-year-old Tatis has bloomed into a superstar in less than two full seasons with the Padres. He helped San Diego end a 13-year playoff drought in 2020 and win a wild-card series against the St. Louis Cardinals before the Padres were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series.

Tatis is the son of the former big-league infielder with the same name and comes from San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, also known as the "Cradle of Shortstops".

The Padres gave slugger Manny Machado a $300 million, 10-year deal before the 2019 season.

World Series winner Arrieta returns to Cubs

Jake Arrieta won a Cy Young Award, threw two no-hitters and helped end a championship drought in his first go-around with the Chicago Cubs.

If his second tenure goes anything like that, they sure would take it.

Arrieta, who helped the Cubs win the 2016 World Series for their first championship since 1908, returned to the team, finalizing a $6 million, one-year contract on Wednesday.

He can earn $1 million in performance bonuses for innings under the deal: $250,000 each for 150, 160,170 and 180.

"This guy's been battle-tested," manager David Ross said."He's got the mentality. He's got the poise. And that example, just how he goes about his preparation, how he goes about his performance and that presence that he has, I think... just kind of bleeds out to the other guys."

To open a roster spot, Chicago placed left-hander Kyle Ryan on the COVID-19-related injured list.

Chicago also agreed to contracts with veteran relievers Brandon Workman and Pedro Strop, sources familiar with the deals said.

BASKETBALL

CBA to resume March 1 after Doha action off

The 2020-21 CBA season will resume on March 1 and conclude no later than May 1, according to a game schedule released by the league's governing body on Wednesday.

The third stage of the season had been scheduled to tip off in late March in consideration of the quarantine period Team China players would have been required to observe following the completion of their FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers in Doha, Qatar.

The Asia Cup qualifiers had been slated for Feb 17-23 but were postponed due to coronavirus restrictions imposed by the Qatari authorities, affording China's national team players a break during Spring Festival.

The third phase of the CBA regular season (rounds 40-47) will run from March 1-18.

After the All-Star Weekend, which will take place in Qingdao, Shandong province from March 19-21, the fourth stage of the regular season (rounds 48-56) will be played from March 24 to April 13. The playoffs will start on April 16.

As has been the case since the start of the campaign, the remaining games will be played at a bio-secure bubble in Zhuji, Zhejiang province.

GOLF

'Shining light' Whan appointed USGA CEO

The United States Golf Association (USGA) announced on Wednesday that former LPGA commissioner Mike Whan will succeed Mike Davis as its new CEO, becoming the eighth top executive in the organization's history.

Whan, 56, is expected officially to take over at the USGA this summer, giving him time to work with Davis in a transition period while enabling the LPGA to find his successor.

Davis, who announced last September his intention to step down in 2021 after 10 years at the helm of the USGA, will start a golf architecture firm.

"We had a ton of inbound interest, and we went through a pretty good process, but the shining light in all of that was Mike Whan," USGA president Stu Francis said.

Whan announced in January that he was stepping down as LPGA chief after 11 years. During his 11 years, LPGA tournaments increased from 24 to 34, and total prize money increased from $41.4 million to $76.5 million.

Xinhua - Agencies