BEIJING: China’s state broadcaster CCTV maintained its blackout of NBA games as the American basketball league resumed on Friday, extending a freedom-of-speech stand-off that stretches back more than nine months.
Although Chinese Internet giant Tencent streamed the NBA’s return from a four-month coronavirus shutdown, the world’s most popular basketball competition remained inaccessible to China’s TV audiences.
CCTV suspended all broadcasts of NBA matches in October after a Houston Rockets executive tweeted in support of Hong Kong pro-democracy protests, unleashing a firestorm of criticism in China.
The NBA commands a huge following in China — its biggest and most lucrative market outside of the US — and the subsequent fall-out has cost the league more than $300 million in revenue.
After NBA executives defended Morey’s right to freedom of expression, numerous Chinese business partners and celebrities cut ties with the league, games in China were canceled and the season was pulled from the airwaves.
CCTV — which holds exclusive TV rights for the league in China — posted a statement in May reiterating it had severed ties with the NBA, in response to online rumors that the games may be broadcast again.
“On issues concerning China’s sovereignty, CCTV Sports’ attitude is solemn, clear and consistent with no room whatsoever for ambiguity or maneuver,” CCTV wrote.
As the league tried to contain the fallout, US politicians also slammed the league for trying to appease the Chinese government.
In May, the NBA named Michael Ma — the son of CCTV Sports executive Ma Guoli — as CEO of NBA China, as speculation swirled that his appointment could help warm ties with the state broadcaster.
However, the nationalist tabloid Global Times wrote earlier this month that “it remains unlikely that the games will return to Chinese platforms if the issues between the NBA and the Chinese public are not solved.”
It emerged earlier this week that the NBA last year ended its association with a training center in China’s western Xinjiang region, where Beijing faces growing international condemnation over its treatment of minorities.
An ESPN report this week alleged that young players at the NBA’s China academies were physically abused and left without schooling, and that the NBA was “re-evaluating” the program.
Chinese state TV maintains NBA blackout as games resume
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Chinese state TV maintains NBA blackout as games resume
- The NBA commands a huge following in China, its biggest and most lucrative market outside of the US
Ohtani wins in Dodgers home debut, Rangers open Major League Baseball title defense with victory
- Dodgers manager Dave Roberts liked what he saw from the leadoff trio of Betts, Ohtani and Freeman
- Juan Soto made a spectacular New York Yankees debut, throwing out Houston’s Mauricio Dubon for the second out of the ninth inning to deny Astros a tying run
LOS ANGELES: Japanese star Shohei Ohtani made a triumphant Los Angeles Dodgers home debut on Thursday, getting help from fellow Most Valuable Player teammates in a 7-1 rout of St. Louis.
Leadoff hitter Mookie Betts bashed a solo home run in the third inning and scored three times, Freddie Freeman homered and drove in three runs and Ohtani went 2-for-3 and scored on Freeman’s homer in the third to spark the Dodgers.
“I was the only guy who couldn’t hit a homer, but overall I thought I had a pretty good game,” Ohtani said. “Overall, I had quality at-bats.”
Tyler Glasnow struck out five while allowing only one run on two hits over six innings to earn the victory for Los Angeles, whose fans cheered Ohtani in his first home game since signing a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers following six years with the Los Angeles Angels.
“I’m very grateful... being able to be received by the Dodger fans,” Ohtani said. “Obviously, I’ve been here before, as a visiting player, so it was a little intimidating. But I’m very grateful for the fans — and there are a lot of them.”
Ohtani is part of a Major League Baseball investigation looking into alleged illegal gambling activity by his former translator, but controversy took a back seat to success as the US national pastime enjoyed the start of another campaign.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts liked what he saw from the leadoff trio of Betts, Ohtani and Freeman — all former MVPs producing a furious top of the batting lineup for his club.
“Mookie does what Mookie does, still swinging a hot bat and Shohei put on a nice show,” Roberts said. “I think in any discussion you can argue that they’re the best hitters in baseball.
“We’re fortunate to have three of ‘em at the top of the order. Certainly a first word that comes to mind is ‘daunting’ for me.”
Corbin Burnes struck out 11 batters, a record for any pitcher in his Baltimore debut, to spark the Orioles to an 11-3 home rout of the Los Angeles Angels.
Angels slugger Mike Trout smashed the first home run of the MLB season in the first inning off Burnes, who retired every other hitter he faced.
Burnes had the second-most strikeouts in an opener in the club’s 70-year history, the most since Dave McNally’s 13 in 1970.
The Orioles held a moment of silence for six workers killed when the Francis Scott Key Bridge — less than 10 miles from Camden Yards ballpark — collapsed on Tuesday after a support was struck by a cargo ship.
A flag was also lowered in the ceremony, which came before a sellout crowd of 45,000 fans that included new team owner David Rubenstein.
Juan Soto made a spectacular New York Yankees debut, throwing out Houston’s Mauricio Dubon from right field for the second out of the ninth inning to deny the Astros a tying run and a preserve a 5-4 victory for the visiting Yankees.
Soto also ignited New York’s rally from a 4-0 deficit with a run-scoring single in the fifth, his first hit in Yankees pinstripes.
The World Series champion Texas Rangers celebrated last season’s success with fans, displaying the Commissioner’s Trophy before the game.
The evening was capped by a bases-loaded run-scoring single from catcher Jonah Heim in the 10th inning that sealed a 4-3 victory for Texas over the Chicago Cubs.
San Diego’s Yu Darvish struck out seven and scattered five hits over five innings but it was Japanese countryman Yuki Matsui who got the win with 1 2/3 innings of no-hit relief in the Padres 6-4 home win over San Francisco.
Cincinnati’s Nick Martini smashed a three-run homer and a two-run homer while Frankie Montas struck out four and scattered four hits over six scoreless innings as the Reds ripped visiting Washington 8-2.
Opening Day festivities in Miami included a ceremonial first pitch from Brazilian footballer Neymar before the Marlins’ home opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Twelve innings later, Jared Triolo’s flare single scored Ke’Bryan Hayes for what proved to be the winning run in the Pirates’ 6-5 victory extra-innings victory.
Thailand’s Pajaree storms to top of crowded LPGA leaderboard in Arizona
- Pajaree: It was a great day out there. I actually was in the zone
- Vu, who withdrew from two tournaments on the LPGA’s recent Asian swing with back trouble, was delighted to find herself in contention
LOS ANGELES: Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn birdied her last five holes in a 9-under par 63 on Thursday to break free atop a log-jammed leaderboard after the first round of the LPGA Ford Championship in Gilbert, Arizona.
With five players in the clubhouse on 8-under, Pajaree rolled in a birdie putt at her final hole, the ninth to seize a one-shot lead over world No. 2 Lilia Vu of the US, Spaniards Carlota Ciganda and Azahara Munoz, Germany’s Isi Gabsa and Australian Gabriela Ruffels.
“It was a great day out there,” said Pajaree, who claimed the most recent of her two LPGA titles at last year’s LPGA Match-Play. “I actually was in the zone. I didn’t realize that I holed my fifth birdie in a row on the ninth green. But it was a great day.”
Pajaree, who matched her career low round on the LPGA tour, said she knew she had the makings of a good round after her third birdie of the day at the 18th.
“Bogey-free, came out with three-under par going into the back nine. I played some really good shots today,” she said. “Hit a lot of good drivers off the tee and gave me a lot of benefit just going into the green with short irons.
“I was able to just hit some good long irons in as well, so that helped,” she added.
Vu, who withdrew from two tournaments on the LPGA’s recent Asian swing with back trouble, was delighted to find herself in contention.
“Today, honestly, my only goal was to hit the ball solid,” she said. “It’s been rough the past couple weeks with how my body is doing and just struggling with a back injury.
“But I’m almost 100 percent, so it was really fun to play without pain today and focus on where I wanted to hit the ball instead of bracing for pain.”
Vu had nine birdies with one bogey, joining the group on eight under with a birdie at the 18th.
“I was really excited to pull off shots that I saw in my head,” Vu said. “It’s been a while since I’ve been able to hit a shot that I see, so I think it was super fun to be like, OK, I can hit a nice little draw here. Ends up maybe like 10, 15 feet, and go and try and make it.”
Ciganda and Gabsa both had eight birdies without a bogey, while Ruffels and Munoz each had an eagle on the way to 64 at the Seville Golf and Country Club.
French star Celine Boutier, who won the LPGA’s most recent event in Arizona when she won at Superstition Mountain last year, was two off the lead on 65, where she was joined by South Korean Kim Hyo-joo.
Another 11 players were a further stroke back on 66. That group included American Nelly Korda, who supplanted Vu as No. 1 in the world with her victory in the Seri Pak Championship on Sunday — Korda’s second victory in as many starts this season.
Grigor Dimitrov ousts top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz in the Miami Open quarterfinals
- This was Dimitrov’s first victory over a top-five player since he beat then-No. 3 Roger Federer in the quarterfinals of the 2019 US Open
- On the women’s side, Elena Rybakina once again had to go three sets, pushed to the edge before beating No. 27 Victoria Azarenka in the semifinals
MIAMI GARDENS, Florida: Eleventh-seeded Grigor Dimitrov came out strong against top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz on Thursday night and went on to win 6-2, 6-4 in the Miami Open quarterfinals, his first victory over a top-five player in nearly five years.
Fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev, who beat unseeded Fabian Marozsan 6-3, 7-5, will play Dimitrov in the semifinals Friday. Second-seeded Jannik Sinner will face No. 3 Daniil Medvedev in the other semifinal, a rematch of last year’s final that Medvedev won.
Dimitrov said he didn’t want to evaluate the quality of his play against Alcaraz “since I have to play again tomorrow. I’m trying to stay on point. This is how our sport is. You appreciate it, of course. You’re very happy with the current win. Then you have to quickly move on and start focusing on the next match.”
Alcaraz, the 2022 champion, entered this tournament off a victory over Medvedev at Indian Wells. But the world’s second-ranked player had trouble finding his game against Dimitrov and became visibly frustrated numerous times in the first set.
But Alcaraz didn’t go away even after falling behind a break at 4-2 in the second set. He broke Dimitrov at love and then held serve to even the set at 4-4. Dimitrov, though, won the final two games, breaking Alcaraz in the clincher.
Alacaraz said Dimitrov played “almost perfect.”
“I have a lot of frustrations right now because he made me feel like I’m 13 years old,” the 20-year-old Alcaraz said. “It was crazy. I was talking to my team saying that I don’t know what I have to do. I don’t know his weakness. I don’t know anything.”
This was Dimitrov’s first victory over a top-five player since he beat then-No. 3 Roger Federer in the quarterfinals of the 2019 US Open.
On the women’s side, fourth-seeded Elena Rybakina once again had to go three sets, pushed to the edge before beating No. 27 Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 0-6, 7-6 (2) in the semifinals.
Rybakina, ranked fourth on the WTA Tour, will on Saturday face unseeded Danielle Collins, who defeated No. 14 Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-3, 6-2. Rybakina also made last year’s final, losing in straight sets to Petra Kvitová.
“This year, it’s much different,” Rybakina said. “I was not expecting, honestly, to be in the final because I was not prepared that well for this tournament, but really happy that I managed to battle through all these matches and be in the final again.”
A day off will likely be welcome for Rybakina, who has been pushed to three sets in all but one match this tournament. Thursday’s match lasted 2 hours, 33 minutes, and she told the Tennis Channel that for the first time in her career, she has rested on the days between matches during a tournament.
“In the beginning, these long matches were helping me to get back in shape,” Rybakina said. “Now I’m not in shape just because I’m tired of all these long matches, but overall, it was really successful tournament no matter how I do in the final.”
Rybakina appeared to take control when she broke Azarenka’s serve to take a 3-2 lead in the third set. Azarenka fought off four break points before hitting a two-handed backhand into the net to give Rybakina the game.
It was quite a response from the second set when Azarenka lost only two points on her serve, and one came on a double fault.
But Azarenka wasn’t done. With Rybakina serving for the match, Azarenka broke back to even the final set at 5-5. Both players then held serve to send the match to a tiebreaker, which belonged to Rybakina, who went up 6-1. She wrapped up the victory with a cross-court forehand.
Rybakina is seeking her third title this year. She is 4-0 in her career against Azarenka, including two victories this year.
Azarenka, 34, was attempting to become the tournament’s oldest winner. She became the second-oldest semifinalist; 36-year-old Venus Williams made the semis in 2017.
Holders Barcelona, PSG win through to Women’s Champions League semis
BARCELONA: Barcelona eased to a 3-1 win over Brann on Thursday to set up a repeat of last season’s Women’s Champions League semifinal against Chelsea, progressing 5-2 on aggregate, while Paris Saint-Germain also clinched a place in the last four of Europe’s elite club competition.
Reigning Ballon d’Or Aitana Bonmati, Fridolina Rolfo and Patri Guijarro struck for the defending European champions in the quarter-final second leg, with Barca targeting a third triumph in four seasons.
Stubborn Norwegian surprise package Brann held their own in a 2-1 first-leg defeat and battled hard at the Johan Cruyff Stadium, but Jonatan Giraldez’s side patiently unpicked them.
Tomine Svendheim’s second-half goal gave a strong traveling contingent reward for their noisy support, but Guijarro, who scored twice in last season’s final, killed off any chance of an unlikely comeback.
Barcelona, who beat Chelsea 4-0 in the 2021 final, have now reached the semis for six consecutive seasons.
“I think like last year it will be a very equal tie,” Barca coach Giraldez told reporters.
“(Chelsea) have invested a lot and have a high quality squad.
“For sure we will see a great semifinal, they are in great form — but so are we.”
Bonmati broke the deadlock brilliantly after 24 minutes, wriggling free on the edge of the box and bending home beyond the reach of Brann goalkeeper Aurora Mikalsen.
Barcelona grabbed their second on the night when Caroline Graham Hansen glided inside effortlessly and her blocked cross sat up nicely for Rolfo to tap home in the 56th minute.
The Swedish winger, who scored the winner for Barcelona in last season’s thrilling final against Wolfsburg, has returned from her knee injury with three goals in seven games despite playing at left-back.
Brann then pulled a goal back when Svendheim stole in behind Lucy Bronze and slid a low effort into the far corner after a long drive forward by Signe Gaupset.
Rolfo struck the post for Barca and Guijarro then sealed the win with a tap-in after the vibrant Graham Hansen picked the locks again and put the ball across the face of goal.
“We came here and we pushed them,” said Brann coach Martin Ho.
“We didn’t want to come here and lay low for the whole game, we wanted to make it a challenge.”
In Paris, the home side built on a 2-1 quarter-final first-leg win away to Hacken by beating the Swedish side 3-0 at the Parc des Princes to progress 5-1 on aggregate and set up a semifinal against domestic rivals Lyon.
Impressive Malawi striker Tabitha Chawinga, the top scorer in the French league this season, gave PSG the lead on the night just before the half-hour mark, firing a shot in off the far post on her left foot after collecting a pass from Marie-Antoinette Katoto.
They doubled their lead on 70 minutes as a long-range strike by Korbin Albert sailed into the top corner.
Albert, a 20-year-old midfielder, is a rising star in the US but is at the center of a brewing storm over controversial social media posts which have drawn a strong response from American great Megan Rapinoe.
PSG’s third goal arrived soon after that as Katoto headed in from a Sakina Karchaoui cross for her fifth goal in this season’s Champions League.
The result means there is guaranteed to be a French side in the final in Bilbao in May, with PSG and Lyon meeting in the semifinals next month.
They also clashed in the last four two years ago, when Lyon went on to win the trophy for a record-extending eighth time.
Lyon, who beat Benfica in the quarter-finals, are currently seven points ahead of PSG at the top of the French league.
Al-Ahli crowned champions of inaugural Saudi Women’s Cup
- They defeated Al-Shabab 3-2 in a thrilling final at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on Thursday night
RIYADH: Al-Ahli have been crowned the inaugural Saudi Arabian Football Federation Women’s Cup champions, after defeating Al-Shabab 3-2 in the final of the competition at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on Thursday night.
Al-Ahli forward Ibtissam Jraidi, who scored the first two of her team’s goals, in the 18th and 50th minutes, was named player of the match. Teammate Naomie Kabakaba added a third in the 53rd minute as Al-Ahli continued to dominate.
However, Al-Shabab mounted a late comeback attempt, beginning with a penalty converted in the 68th minute by Oriana Altuve. Chaima Abbassi added a second in the 88th minute. But in the short time remaining they could not get the third goal they needed to pull level.
The final marked the culmination of the new 16-team Women’s Cup’s inaugural competition, which began in November. The federation introduced it to increase the competitiveness of women’s football in the country, amid rapid development of the women’s game worldwide.