SPORTS BRIEFS

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TENNIS

Hsieh advances in Wuhan

Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Latvian partner Jelena Ostapenko yesterday defeated American Sofia Kenin and Russian Irina Khromacheva in their women’s doubles round of 16 at the Wuhan Open. Fourth seeds Hsieh and Ostapenko — who were runners-up at Wimbledon and the Australian Open last year and had advanced to the second round on a bye — won 2-6, 7-6 (7/0), 10-7. Taiwan’s Wu Fang-hsien and Hungarian partner Fanny Stollar on Tuesday defeated New Zealand’s Erin Routliffe and Indonesia’s Aldila Sutjiadi 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the round of 16. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Liang En-shuo and Japanese partner Shuko Aoyama yesterday crashed out in their opening round, while Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching and Japanese partner Miyu Kato exited in their opener on Monday.

Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei, right, serves next to Latvian partner Jelena Ostapenko against Erin Routliffe of New Zealand and Aldila Sutjiadi of Indonesia during their women’s doubles match at the China Open in Beijing on Friday last week.

Photo: EPA

FOOTBALL

Alaric Jackson suspended

Los Angeles Rams starting left tackle Alaric Jackson has been suspended for two games without pay for striking Buffalo linebacker Bradley Chubb in the face after their teams’ overtime game on Monday night. The NFL on Tuesday announced the suspension for Jackson, who is slated to miss their games against Arizona and Las Vegas. Jackson would appeal the league’s ruling, Rams coach Sean McVay said. “Have to make better decisions than that,” McVay said. “I spoke with him. We’ll keep that in-house... I want to understand the totality of the situation. I’m not condoning by any means, but I want to gather all the information.” Jackson struck Chubb after the two exchanged words following the Bills’ 37-34 overtime victory over the Rams at SoFi Stadium.

SOCCER

English clubs in danger: IFR

English soccer clubs are “dangerously exposed” to financial risk, the country’s Independent Football Regulator (IFR) said in a report released on Tuesday, after finding that 94 percent of clubs in the top five divisions were operating at a loss. The regulator, established last year, proposed stronger cost controls and contingency planning as part of a six-point plan to improve the financial sustainability of the English game. Its draft State of the Game report, which is to undergo an eight-week public consultation before a final version is published, found nearly two-thirds of English Football League and National League clubs were “technically insolvent” and increasingly dependent on cash injections from owners. “While some of our clubs are among the richest and most competitive in the world, others are standing on the edge of financial disaster... A significant number of clubs have told us they would not survive if their owners walked away,” IFR chair David Kogan said.

ATHLETICS

Runner Korir suspended

Kenyan marathon runner Ronald Kipkoech Korir has been provisionally suspended for using a prohibited substance, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said on Tuesday. Korir, 35, finished fourth behind winner Eliud Kipchoge in the 2023 Berlin Marathon and his time of 2 hours, 4 minutes, 22 seconds placed him in the elite bracket of marathon performers. An athlete is provisionally suspended while his case is investigated. More than 140 Kenyan athletes, including current women’s marathon world record holder Ruth Chepngetich, have been suspended or banned by the AIU since 2017.