Digest

BASKETBALL

Rampant China storms to back-to-back wins

China routed host Japan 106-73 to clinch its second victory in as many days over its FIBA World Cup qualifying Group B rival in Sendai on Sunday. Five Chinese players scored in double figures. Zhao Rui notched a game-high 27 points, including six 3-pointers. Zhang Zhenlin added 17 while Guo Ailun notched 14.

Zhou Qi was the only Chinese player to sit out Sunday's game after picking up an ankle injury the previous day. The 2.16-meter center, who plays for South East Melbourne Phoenix in Australia, notched 24 points in Saturday's 79-63 triumph before eventually limping off.

"The players showed great fighting spirit during the match," said China head coach Du Feng. "I warned them after the first win yesterday that they need to give 200 percent effort to win this match."

Du, who was appointed as head coach two years ago, said that he left Zhou on the bench as a precaution.

"Zhou Qi flew all the way from Australia to play for the national team," said Du. "I feel very thankful for his efforts."

MOTOR SPORTS

Formula 1's Williams passes away, aged 79

Frank Williams, the founder and former team principal of Formula 1's Williams Racing, has died. He was 79.

Williams took his motor racing team from an empty carpet warehouse to the summit of F1, overseeing 114 victories, a combined 16 drivers' and constructors' world championships, while becoming the longest-serving team boss in the sport's history.

"After being admitted into hospital on Friday, Sir Frank passed away peacefully this morning surrounded by his family," Williams Racing said in a statement Sunday.

The team's British driver George Russell remembered Williams as a "genuinely wonderful human being".

In 1986, Williams was left unable to walk following a horrific car crash in France. The accident left him with injuries so devastating that doctors considered turning off his life-support machine at the time.

SOCCER

Controversy rages over COVID-hit league game

Portuguese league officials met on Sunday to discuss the farcical game between Belenenses and Benfica, which had to be called off in the second half after Belenenses started with only nine players, including two goalkeepers, due to an outbreak of COVID-19.

Belenenses played one of their goalkeepers, Joao Monteiro, as an outfield player and had no substitutes at the Estadio Nacional where Benfica strolled into a 7-0 lead before halftime on Saturday.

The Primeira Liga game was called off by referee Manuel Mota three minutes into the second half, after Belenenses was reduced to six players. It had emerged after halftime with only seven players before Monteiro went down injured.

According to reports, Primeira Liga officials met on Sunday to discuss the controversial fixture and whether any disciplinary action should be taken against Belenenses.

Belenenses president Rui Pedro Soares said the game was a "disgrace" and criticized the league for effectively forcing the club to play, under threat of being deducted points.

TENNIS

Djokovic 'probably' will give Melbourne a miss

Novak Djokovic "probably won't "play the Australian Open in January over mandatory COVID-19 vaccination rules, the world No 1's father said on Sunday.

The 34-year-old Djokovic, who would be bidding for a record-breaking 21st Grand Slam title in Melbourne, has refused to say whether or not he has been vaccinated.

But Australian Open chief Craig Tiley has said that all players must be inoculated to take part.

"Of course he would want to go with all his heart," Djokovic's father, Srdjan, told Prda TV.

"Because he is a sportsman and there are a lot of our people, the (Serbian) diaspora, there who would be delighted to see Novak. But I don't know if it will happen. Probably not under these conditions, with this blackmail."

WINTER SPORTS

Shiffrin ties all-time World Cup record

Mikaela Shiffrin tied the all-time mark for World Cup wins in a single discipline when the American beat Slovakia's Petra Vlhova to capture her 46th slalom victory on Sunday in Killington, Vermont.

Shiffrin trailed reigning overall World Cup champion Vlhova by 0.20 seconds after the first run but returned the fastest second run while her rival was wrong-footed early to drop into second place.

Switzerland's Wendy Holdener finished third.

The victory brought 26-year-old Shiffrin level with Sweden's Ingemar Stenmark for the most World Cup wins in any single discipline.

Stenmark won 46 giant slalom races and 40 slaloms in a World Cup career lasting from 1973 to 1989.

The 26-year-old Shiffrin, who lost her grandmother in October 2019 and her father less than four months later, was in tears after her victory.

"I've had a lot of incredible memories at this race over the years, and I've shared it with family and all the people I love most in the world," she said. "And this year, two of them are not here anymore. So it's one of the more emotional ones for sure."

Xinhua - Agencies