Sharapova gets patience test with Melbourne set to sizzle
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Maria Sharapova returns to Rod Laver Arena for the first time since her drug ban for a second round match against Anastasija Sevastova on Thursday as players, officials and fans alike prepare for sweltering heat at the Australian …
Norway’s Northug almost certain to miss Olympics
(Reuters) – Double Olympic gold medallist Petter Northug will not take part in this weekend’s World Cup cross-country skiing competition in Planica, Slovenia, and is almost certain to miss next month’s Olympics in Pyeongchang.
Koreas to form unified ice hockey team, march together in Winter Olympics
SEOUL (Reuters) – The two Koreas agreed during rare talks on Wednesday to form a combined women’s ice hockey team to take part in next month’s Winter Olympics in the South, and march together under a unified peninsula flag at the opening ceremony, a jo…
Stanley Cup winner Paek returns to Korea for Pyeongchang tilt
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Jim Paek, head coach of the South Korean men’s national ice hockey team, is a man of two Olympic nations.
Seed slayers Bencic, Zhang tumble back to earth
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Seed slayers Belinda Bencic and Zhang Shuai were brought back down to earth at the Australian Open on Wednesday as they both failed to follow up their first-round exploits.
Second seed Wozniacki battles back from the brink
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Second seed Caroline Wozniacki saved two match points as she battled back from 5-1 down in the deciding set to beat Melbourne Park debutante Jana Fett 3-6 6-2 7-5 in the second round of the Australian Open on Wednesday.
Karlovic becomes oldest man in third round for 40 years
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic became the oldest man to reach the third round of the Australian Open for 40 years when he edged Japan’s Yuichi Sugita in five sets in searing heat on Wednesday.
Nadal mows down Mayer to reach third round
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Top seed Rafa Nadal continued his marauding path through the Australian Open, hammering Argentine Leonardo Mayer 6-3 6-4 7-6 (4) to reach the third round on Wednesday.
Tennis: Tsonga edges Shapovalov to strike blow for old guard
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – There was a time when Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was one of the new kids bounding on to the block, swinging from the hip and shaking up the established hierarchy in men’s tennis.
North Korea to send cheerleaders to Olympics but Japan sees little to applaud
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea will send a 230-strong cheering squad to the Winter Olympics in the South next month, Seoul said on Wednesday after both sides held talks amid a thaw in inter-Korean ties and as Japan urged caution over the North’s “charm …
