Digest

BASKETBALL

Han notches new PB scoring record in WNBA

Han Xu's steady improvement in the WNBA continued in Indianapolis on Friday night with a 16-point haul to help the New York Liberty defeat the Indiana Fever 97-83.

Three days after notching 15 points, the Chinese center refreshed her personal-best single-game score in the league by a point, shooting 6 of 8 from the field, including 2 of 2 from 3-point range. She also grabbed five rebounds and blocked two shots in 15 minutes and 31 seconds on the court.

"I didn't do well in rebounds in the first half. After stepping on the court again, I started from my defense and rebounds, and when I focused on that, my offense got rolling as well," Han told Xinhua in a phone interview.

In her second season with the Liberty since being drafted in 2019, Han has posted an average of 10.7 points and five rebounds in 10 appearances. "I've been fitting in with the team better and better, and we have built more and more chemistry," said the 22-year-old Team China star.

SOCCER

Tchouameni signs for Madrid in $84m deal

France midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni has joined Real Madrid from Monaco, both clubs announced on Saturday.

According to sources, the 22-year-old has cost the Champions League and La Liga holder more than 80 million euros ($84 million) as well as an additional 20 million euros in bonuses.

The former Bordeaux playmaker has won 11 caps since making his Les Bleus debut in September.

"Real Madrid and Monaco have agreed on the transfer of the player Aurelien Tchouameni, who will be linked to the club for the next six seasons," they said.

"Next Tuesday, June 14, at 12:00 at Real Madrid City, the presentation ceremony for Aurelien Tchouameni as a new Real Madrid player will take place after the corresponding medical examination," they added.

Madrid has also signed Chelsea centerback Antonio Rudiger ahead of the new season but missed out on Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe last month as he decided to stay in the French capital.

At Santiago Bernabeu, Tchouameni will team up with fellow French youngster Eduardo Camavinga after the 19-year-old left Rennes for Madrid last summer.

Player arrested in Ibiza amid rape claim

Bundesliga club Stuttgart said on Saturday that midfielder Atakan Karazor has been arrested in Ibiza after an 18-year-old woman reported to police that she was raped by two German men on the Spanish island.

The team did not specify what Karazor was arrested for but that he "denies any criminal act".

Spanish police did not publicly identify the men and would only confirm that two 25-year-old Germans were arrested on an accusation of rape.

Karazor is 25 years old and of German nationality.

Spain's Civil Guard said that the Spanish woman was allegedly raped early Wednesday morning in a home in the town of Sant Josep on Ibiza.

Stuttgart said in a statement that it was in contact with the lawyers representing Karazor.

TENNIS

Kyrgios alleges racist abuse in Murray loss

Nick Kyrgios said he faced racist abuse from the crowd during a semifinal loss to Andy Murray at the Stuttgart Open on Saturday.

The Australian posted on Instagram following the 7-6(5), 6-2 loss to Murray that he heard abusive comments from the stands.

"When is this going to stop? Dealing with racial slurs from the crowd?" Kyrgios wrote on Instagram. "I understand that my behavior isn't the best all the time－but 'you little black sheep' 'shut up and play' little comments like this are not acceptable. When I retaliate to the crowd I get penalized. This is messed up."

Kyrgios was given a point penalty for breaking his racket at the end of the first-set tiebreaker, and then a game penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct in the second set after he approached the crowd and appeared to ask: "What did you say?" Kyrgios then sat down and did not continue the match until he had spoken with the tournament supervisor.

Murray was due to play his first grass-court singles final since winning Wimbledon in 2016 when he plays second-seeded Italian Matteo Berrettini in Sunday's final.

ICE HOCKEY

Lightning reach third straight Cup Final

Steven Stamkos scored twice to lead the host Tampa Bay Lightning to a thrilling 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday and send them to the Stanley Cup Final with the opportunity to claim their third consecutive title.

Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 20 saves as the two-time defending champion Lightning claimed the Eastern Conference finals 4-2.

The Lightning－who have won 11 consecutive playoff rounds, the third longest run in NHL history－will face the Colorado Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Final, which begins on Wednesday in Denver. It's Tampa Bay's fifth trip to the championship round.

The Lightning, who have won seven consecutive home games, are the first team to reach the Cup Final in three consecutive seasons since the Edmonton Oilers in 1983-85.

Frank Vatrano replied for the Rangers. Goalie Igor Shesterkin made 29 saves in a brilliant performance, but it wasn't enough to prevent his team from losing a fourth consecutive game after winning the first two of the series.

Stamkos netted the game-winning goal just 21 seconds after Vatrano tied the game in the third period.

Agencies