Other Sports

Horse racing-Champion Nick Rockett ruled out of Grand National

April 9 (Reuters) - ⁠Last year's Grand National ⁠winner Nick Rockett will miss ‌this weekend's defence of his crown at Aintree after being declared a ​non-runner on Thursday, having ⁠been reported to ⁠be coughing.

Motorsport

Motor racing-Verstappen's race engineer Lambiase to leave Red Bull for McLaren

LONDON, April 9 (Reuters) - Max Verstappen's long-time ⁠Formula One race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase is to leave Red Bull and join McLaren in a supporting role ⁠to team principal Andrea Stella.

Football

Soccer-Leverkusen in battle for top-four spot as Dortmund look to next season

BERLIN, April 9 (Reuters) - Bayer Leverkusen will ⁠be battling for a top-four spot when they travel to second-placed Borussia Dortmund ⁠on Saturday, with the hosts already looking to next season following what is likely ‌to be a trophyless campaign.

Football

Soccer-Buoyed by European win, Arsenal return to Premier League title push

MANCHESTER, England, April 9 (Reuters) - The Premier League ⁠resumes this weekend after a break for international games with Arsenal's push for a first title in more than two decades buoyed by ⁠a timely win in Europe.

Football

Soccer-New Zealand striker Wood returns from injury ahead of World Cup

April 9 (Reuters) - Chris ⁠Wood is set to return ⁠from his lengthy injury spell in ‌a big boost for New Zealand ahead of the World Cup, as well as for ​his club Nottingham Forest.

Rugby

Rugby-Canes title charge set for Blues test as Australians look to hang on in Super Rugby

SYDNEY, April 9 (Reuters) - Wellington Hurricanes coach ⁠Clark Laidlaw reckons his team will need to produce their best rugby of the season when they host Auckland ⁠Blues in a top-of-the-table clash on Saturday, the highlight of round nine of Super Rugby Pacific. 

Football

Soccer-Australia's Kerr looks for positives in Asian Cup campaign despite final defeat

April 9 (Reuters) - Australia captain ⁠Sam Kerr said their defeat by Japan in ⁠last month's Asian Cup final was bitterly disappointing but ‌the experience would stand the Matildas in good stead for next year's Women's World Cup.

Tennis

Tennis-Home hero Vacherot thrilled to beat Musetti in Monte Carlo

April 9 (Reuters) - Monaco's Valentin ⁠Vacherot could barely have scripted his second career win ⁠over a top-five player better after he defeated world number ‌five Lorenzo Musetti 7-6(6) 7-5 in front of a joyous home crowd at the Monte-Carlo Masters on Wednesday.

Badminton

Tang Jie-Ee Wei march into Asian C'ships quarters

PETALING JAYA: Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei powered into the quarter-finals of the Asian Championships in Ningbo, China after a comfortable win over India's Dhruv Kapila-Tanisha Crasto on Thursday (April 9).

Cricket

Cricket-Buttler gets his IPL mojo back with a fifty in Gujarat's first win

NEW DELHI, April ⁠9 (Reuters) - Jos Buttler has been around long enough to know it ⁠usually takes perseverance to bring a run drought to an end ‌and the Gujarat batter's resolve was finally rewarded with a stellar knock in the Titans' win over Delhi Capitals on Wednesday.

Football

Soccer-AC Milan, Inter, Juve to play pre-season matches in Perth

April 9 (Reuters) - AC ⁠Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus said ⁠they will play a series of pre-season ‌friendlies in August at Perth Stadium after plans to stage an Italian top-flight match at the Australian venue ​were scrapped late last year.

Football

Soccer-Flick blasts refereeing as Simeone shrugs off controversy in Barca home defeat

BARCELONA, April 9 (Reuters) - Barcelona manager ⁠Hansi Flick tore into the officiating after his side's 2-0 home defeat by ⁠Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, raging over a second-half penalty call and ‌Pau Cubarsi's red card that left his team a man down before halftime.

Football

Selangor CEO Johan calls for clubs to join forces to address urgent issues

PETALING JAYA: Several Malaysian League clubs are ready to join forces with Selangor to look into long-term reforms.

Other Sports

Initial list of 38 sports for 2027 KL SEA Games likely to be increased

KUALA LUMPUR: The total number of sports for the 2027 SEA Games are expected to be increased as there is still room for appeals until May 8, thus opening up opportunities for more events to be contested.

Football

Zainal kicks up a storm on debate over clubs’ financial management

PETALING JAYA: Get your own house in order first before giving orders on how to fix things.

Football

JDT rejoice over Arif’s recovery after storming into Malaysia Cup final 

PETALING JAYA: Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) stormed into their sixth Malaysia Cup final in emphatic fashion on Tuesday, but the bigger boost was the gradual return of star winger Arif Aiman Hanapi.

Diving

No diver spared from two local selection trials for Asian Games list 

KUALA LUMPUR: All divers, including seniors Pandelela Rinong and Nur Dhabitah Sabri, will have to pass through two domestic selection trials to be on the list for the Asian Games in Japan.

Badminton

Jun Hao’s early exit raises concern for singles at Thomas Cup

PETALING JAYA: Defeat is part and parcel of sport, but going down without a fight is simply unacceptable.

Hockey

Foreign referees set to elevate MHL officiating standards

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Hockey League (MHL) will feature umpires from across Asia this season as part of a concerted push to elevate officiating standards.

Golf

Shahriffuddin sets up showdown with Jeremiah at KPGA C’ships

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian pro golfer Shahriffuddin Ariffin set up an exciting final day tussle with Jeremiah Kim after he made his move to share the top of the leaderboard at the KPGA Championships.