Digest

BADMINTON

China sweeps Spain for second Uber Cup win

China's women's team defeated Spain to bag its second consecutive victory in the Uber Cup group stage in Bangkok on Monday.

Spain's Olympic champion Carolina Marin was absent for the second match in a row. Her teammate Clara Azurmendi caused some problems for Chen Yufei, but Chen saved two set points to prevail 21-16, 23-21.

China encountered little resistance in the other matches. He Bingjiao thrashed Lucia Rodriguez 21-2,21-8. There were also victories for reigning Asian singles champion Wang Zhiyi and Asian doubles champions Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan, who were all making their Uber Cup debuts. Du Yue and Li Wenmei added the final win for China to round off a 5-0 victory.

China will take on Chinese Taipei, which also stayed perfect with victory over Australia on Monday, to decide the group winner.

SOCCER

City closes on deal for Dortmund's Haaland

Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland is close to completing a move to Manchester City, according to reports.

Sky Sports said the 21-year-old underwent a medical in Brussels on Monday, and that City is ready meet the Norwegian's release clause of 75 million euros ($79 million).

Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl admitted he expected Haaland's future to be sorted out this week.

"I know what is in the contract, we are bound by the exit clause," Kehl said on Sunday. "We have tried in the last few months to reach a decision on Erling's future. But then came the death of Mino Raiola. Unfortunately, the issue has dragged on a bit," he added, referring to the passing of superagent Raiola.

Haaland has scored 85 goals in 88 matches for Dortmund since joining from Austria's Red Bull Salzburg in January 2020.

BASEBALL

MLB pencils in London games for 2023-2026

Major League Baseball intends to play regular-season games in London in 2023, 2024 and 2026.

The New York Yankees swept two games against the Boston Red Sox at London Stadium, the home of soccer's West Ham United, in June 2019. The St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs were scheduled to play there on June 13-14, 2020, but those games were canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Cardinals and Cubs are the leading candidates to play in the English capital next year.

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and London mayor Sadiq Khan announced the formation of the MLB London Legacy Group on Monday that will include members from the Greater London Authority and Baseball Softball UK.

MLB plans to hold a Home Run Derby at London's Crystal Palace Park on July 9 this year.

BASKETBALL

Former NBA player Payne, 31, shot dead

Adreian Payne, a former Michigan State standout and NBA player, has died in a Florida shooting. He was 31.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office said deputies responded to a shooting at 1:34 am local time on Monday when Payne was identified and taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Lawrence Dority, 29, was present at the scene, according to the Sheriff's Office. He was arrested on a first-degree murder warrant after detectives interviewed him.

Payne played in 107 NBA games over four seasons with Atlanta, Minnesota and Orlando. The Hawks drafted him in 2014 before trading him to the Timberwolves.

The Magic waived the 6-foot-10(2.08-meter) forward in January 2018, after he was part of an ESPN report that detailed sexual assault allegations against former basketball and football players at the school.

Payne played professionally earlier this year in Lithuania. He also played in Turkey, France, Greece and China.

Xinhua - Agencies