Digest

BADMINTON

Golden treble for China at Indonesia Masters

China's top-seeded duo of Zheng Siwei and Huang Yaqiong secured the mixed doubles title at the 2022 Indonesia Masters in Jakarta on Sunday with a crushing defeat of France's Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue.

World No 2 pair Zheng and Huang downed their French rivals 21-13, 21-14 in 38 minutes.

China's Olympic champion Chen Yufei took gold in the women's singles after defeating Thailand's world No 8 Ratchanok Intanon in Sunday's only three-set final, 21-16, 18-21,21-15.

Chen's compatriots Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan, ranked world No 1 in women's doubles, beat the Indonesian duo of Apriyani Rahayu and Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti 21-18,21-12 to take gold.

The Chinese duo of Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang finished with silver medals in the men's doubles after losing in the final to Indonesian pair Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto 21-10, 21-17.

Meanwhile, in the men's singles, world No 1 Viktor Axelsen of Denmark grabbed a gold medal thanks to a 21-10, 21-12 victory over Chinese Taipei's Chou Tien-chen.

VOLLEYBALL

China stuns Brazil in men's Nations League

China secured its first victory of the men's 2022 FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) on Sunday with a shock victory over host and defending champion Brazil 25-23,31-29, 25-23.

Outside hitter Zhang Jingyin led the scoring with 25 points, while Zhang Guanhua contributed nine points and Li Yongzhen seven.

"This is a big victory for our team and it's very encouraging," said outside hitter Yuan Dangyi. "We entered the match determined to do our best but we knew Brazil was the No 1 team in the world and a very strong opponent."

Yuan added: "I think today we played better and that's why we won. Each of us was focused on our own roles and that was very important. We'd love to play Brazil again because they're so strong."

The result at the Nilson Nelson Arena in Brasilia marked China's first win in the competition since 2019 and saw Poland displace Brazil at the top of the world rankings.

China will next face France, Germany, Argentina and Italy in the Philippines from June 22-26.

GOLF

Swedish woman Grant triumphs on men's tour

A female player has won an event on the DP World Tour for the first time.

Linn Grant made history in amazing style, too, on the circuit formerly known as the European Tour.

The 22-year-old Swede obliterated a field of both male and female golfers at the Scandinavian Mixed event on Sunday, winning by nine strokes after an 8-under 64 in the final round at Halmstad Golf Club.

Remarkably, she finished 14 strokes clear of the next best woman, Gabriella Cowley, who placed tied for 15th.

Grant started the day with a two-stroke lead and birdied five of her first six holes, demonstrating the brilliant ball-striking and calm temperament she has displayed all week in southern Sweden.

She first took a nine-stroke lead after tapping in for birdie at the par-5 11th hole and made eight birdies in total, completing a bogey-free weekend and the week of her golfing life.

It is the second staging of a tournament that started with 78 men and 78 women in the field, playing the same course－albeit off different tees－for one prize fund and one trophy.

BASEBALL

Carpenter drives in 7 as Yanks steamroll Cubs

Matt Carpenter homered twice and tied a career-high with seven RBIs as the New York Yankees easily extended their home winning streak to 11 games in an 18-4 rout of the skidding Chicago Cubs on Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees won for the 11th time in 12 games and reached 60 games with at least 44 wins for the fifth time in team history. New York's 60-game start is the best since the 2001 Seattle Mariners began 47-13 and marked the sixth time since 1940 a team won at least 44 of the first 60 games.

Carpenter produced a bases-loaded walk in New York's five-run first off Chicago starter Keegan Thompson (6-2), hit a three-run homer in the second off Daniel Norris and added a two-run drive in the sixth off Alec Mills before finishing with an RBI double in the seventh. It was Carpenter's seventh career multi-homer game and first since July 2018.

SOCCER

Portugal run snapped as Spain tops group

Portugal left Cristiano Ronaldo at home and lost its unbeaten record in 2022 and the lead of its Nations League group on Sunday.

A goal after 57 seconds by Switzerland forward Haris Seferovic was enough for a 1-0 win in Geneva despite late pressure by Portugal including two scoring chances for 39-year-old captain Pepe playing as an emergency forward.

Portugal's slip, after letting Ronaldo skip the last game of a long season, let Spain take first place in Group 2 with a 2-0 win over the Czech Republic in top-tier League A.

Goals midway through each half from Carlos Soler and Pablo Sarabia lifted Spain one point clear of Portugal after four rounds. The last two rounds will be played in September.

Portugal had gone unbeaten in five games this year starting with two wins in its World Cup qualifying playoffs in March and including a 4-0 rout of the Swiss last weekend.

Switzerland had gone in the other direction with a five-match winless run since qualifying for the World Cup ahead of Italy in November.

Agencies