Bawa signs off with bronze at World Junior squash
New Delhi, July 17: India’s Shaurya Bawa signed off with a bronze medal after going down 0-3 to Egyptian top seed Mohamed Zakaria in the boys’ singles semifinal of the World Junior Squash Championships in Houston. Bawa lost 5-11, 5-11, 9-11 to last year’s runner-up Zakaria in a thrilling 41-minute semifinal contest. Bawa is only the second Indian male after Kush Kumar (in 2014) to reach the World Junior semifinals. (PTI)
Messi likely to miss at least two games for Inter Miami with injury
Fort Lauderdale (US), July 17: Lionel Messi is likely to miss at least the next two matches for Inter Miami, his Major League Soccer team, after injuring his right ankle during the Copa America final, Miami coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said. The team said Tuesday that Messi suffered a ligament injury in his right ankle, and his availability will be assessed periodically as rehab progresses. Inter Miami will host Toronto FC on Wednesday night and Chicago on Saturday night. The 37-year-old Messi tearfully exited Argentina’s 1-0 win over Colombia in Sunday’s Copa America final after going down in the 64th minute. He immediately looked to the Argentina bench and was down for a couple of minutes before taking off his right boot and walking slowly off the field. He was then shown covering his face, sobbing in his seat. Cameras later showed him on the bench with a badly swollen right ankle. Messi said he was doing well in an Instagram post Monday and that he hoped to return soon. Miami is second in the Eastern Conference standings. (AP)
Mainz ‘surprised’ by reports of new signing Kaishu Sano arrest
Mainz (Germany), July 17: Bundesliga club Mainz says it is “surprised” by Japanese media reports that new signing Kaishu Sano was arrested in Japan. “We cannot yet evaluate or comment on these reports due to a lack of information,” the club said Wednesday on the social network X. “We’re trying to clarify the matter as quickly and comprehensively as possible.” Mainz signed the 23-year-old Sano, a defensive midfielder, from Kashima Antlers on July 3. He signed a four-year deal and is the club’s third Japanese signing after Shinji Okazaki and Yoshinori Muto. Sano, who has played four games for Japan, was to join his new teammates in Mainz for pre-season training on Sunday. (AP)
Mexico fire Jaime Lozano as head coach 2 weeks after Copa exit
Mexico City, July 17: Jaime Lozano has been fired as head coach two weeks after Mexico’s first-round exit at the Copa América. The Mexican Football Federation on Tuesday said Lozano declined its offer to stay and work as an assistant to the next coach for two years and potentially take over again after the 2026 World Cup. “This was one of the toughest decision I have to make,” Lozano said on his official social media accounts. “It is a matter of principles and it’s because of the change of direction from the original project.” Javier Aguirre, who is a close friend of the Mexican federation commissioner Juan Carlos Rodríguez, is considered the main candidate for the job. Aguirre, who coached Mexico at the 2002 and 2010 World Cups, had earlier declined a position to help Lozano from afar. The federation said the new coach could be confirmed as early as the first week of August. Lozano guided Mexico’s Under-23 team to a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics and was appointed as interim coach of the national team in May of last year to replace Diego Cocca. After winning the Gold Cup, Lozano’s appointment became permanent in August of 2023. (AP)
Billie Jean King Cup finals will switch location this year
Malaga (Spain), July 17: The Billie Jean King Cup will switch venue from Sevilla to Malaga for this year’s finals, organizers said Wednesday. The tournament – formerly known as the Fed Cup – will be played alongside the men’s Davis Cup Final 8 at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martin Carpena Arena in November. The scheduled dates for both tournaments have not been altered. “Our priority is to ensure the Billie Jean King Cup Finals continue seamlessly as the most exciting and unique women’s team tennis tournament on the 2024 calendar,” said Ilana Kloss, chair of Billie Jean King Cup Ltd. “Malaga, just 130 miles from Sevilla, has been a fantastic host of the Davis Cup Final 8 since 2022, and we know that its world-class facilities and passionate fans will help create another unique and memorable world championship.” The finals will run from November 13-20. The Davis Cup Final 8 runs through November 19-24. Organizers said the change of venue was due to the requirements of host partner Junta de Andalucía, It did not expand on the reason. It said existing ticket holders had been offered the chance to exchange tickets or receive a refund. (AP)
Open enhances purse to $17 mn
Troon (UK), July 17: The winner of the 152nd Open at Royal Troon will receive USD 3.1 million in prize money. The Champion Golfer of the Year will pocket the highest amount in The Open’s history as it returns to the renowned Ayrshire links for the tenth time. The R&A announced an increase of half a million dollars in the prize purse for the 2024 Open to be played from July 18 to 21. The prize purse will now be USD 17 million, a USD 500,000 increase from 2023. Martin Slumbers, CEO of The R&A, said, “The R&A has a responsibility to strike a balance between maintaining The Open’s position in the global game, providing the funds required for governance and developing amateur and recreational golf in 146 countries internationally. Additional prize money will be added if more than 70 professional golfers qualify for the final two rounds. Prize money will decrease by USD 125 per qualifying place above 70 to a minimum of USD 37,650. Non-qualifiers – those who don’t make the cut after two rounds – will also get money. The leading 10 and tied professional golfers among those not making the cut will receive USD 12,350 each, and the following 20 professional golfers and ties receive USD 10,300. The remainder and ties get USD 8,750. (PTI)