Digest

SOCCER

Striker Guo relishing Portugal adventure

Guo Tianyu says he is determined to "not let Chinese fans down" as he settles into life at Portuguese topflight club Vizela.

The 23-year-old forward made his league debut as a second-half substitute in a 1-0 loss to Braga on Sunday.

Guo said he is gradually finding his feet in his new surroundings, having arrived at the club in January on a six-month contract from Shandong Taishan.

"I am trying my best to learn Portuguese in the hope of fitting in and communicating well with the people here," he told Chinese TV.

"I hope I will have good performances here and will not let the Chinese fans down."

Shandong head coach Hao Wei said the move to Europe will greatly benefit Guo's development.

"This will be a good experience for Guo, and it will help him improve," he said.

"But his move to Portugal is a loss to my team. We need to do something to cope with it."

Guo scored 10 goals last season to help Shandong win the Chinese Super League title.

Ramos targeting five more years at the top

Paris Saint-Germain's veteran Spanish defender Sergio Ramos would like to play four or five more years of top-level soccer before retiring, according to an interview he gave to Prime Video.

The 35-year-old Ramos joined PSG in July after winning the Champions League four times with Real Madrid and the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships with Spain.

"I'd like to play between four and five years at the top before moving on to a new experience," Ramos told the Ligue 1 broadcaster.

"I've signed for two years here at Paris Saint-Germain and we are going to try and make that three years, one more, and then we'll see.

"As long as I can hold out physically, I believe I can remain focused."

Ramos has struggled with calf problems that saw him miss the first five months of the season. PSG leads Ligue 1 by 12 points with seven games remaining.

Ex-Madrid ace Rincon in critical condition

Former Real Madrid midfielder Freddy Rincon is in a critical condition following a car accident in the southwestern Colombian city of Cali.

Four other passengers in the car that Rincon was driving were also injured after a collision with a bus on Monday, authorities said.

"Freddy Eusebio Rincon arrived in hospital this morning with a traumatic brain injury," read a statement from Cali's Clinica Imbanaco hospital.

Hospital spokeswoman Laureano Quintero described the 55-year-old's condition as "very serious" after he underwent emergency surgery.

Real Madrid, whom Rincon represented from 1995 to 1997, also sent a heartfelt message to the former playmaker.

Rincon was capped 84 times for Colombia from 1990 to 2001 and played in the 1990, 1994 and 1998 World Cups. He was also involved in a serious car accident in 2013.

OLYMPICS

Teenage Tunisian sailor dies in training tragedy

Olympic sailor Eya Guezguez of Tunisia has died in a training incident, the International Olympic Committee announced on Monday. She was 17.

Guezguez was training with her twin sister Sarra alongside their national team on Sunday when their boat capsized due to strong winds. Sarra survived the accident.

Together, the sisters competed at the Tokyo Olympics last year in the 49er FX class and finished 21st.

Thomas Bach, president of the IOC, said he was shocked by the news. "She was an inspiring talent and role model for her athletes' generation," Bach said.

"Eya Guezguez's participation at Tokyo 2020 alongside her twin sister Sarra will continue to motivate girls everywhere. Our thoughts are with her family, friends and the Olympic community in Tunisia."

TENNIS

Wawrinka buoyed by comeback despite loss

Alexander Bublik cut short Stan Wawrinka's ATP Tour return, defeating the Swiss 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 in the first round of the Monte Carlo Masters on Monday.

Playing his first competitive singles match in 13 months, Wawrinka started off confidently against the Kazakh, easily winning the first set. He staved off three set points in the second to hold for 5-5 but appeared tired. In the decisive third, Bublik pulled ahead early and wrapped up the match in just over two hours.

Wawrinka, 37, last competed on tour in March 2021 in Qatar. He's had two surgeries on his left foot since then and months of difficult recovery.

"I'm still far away from where I want to be, but I think I'm in the right direction," Wawrinka said. Despite "a tough loss" to world No 35 Bublik, the Swiss said it felt good to be back on the court, with the stands packed and playing for real points.

"It was much better than what I was expecting," Wawrinka said.

Xinhua - Agencies