Badminton

Chong Wei plays down Zii Jia concerns, gives him time to decide on Finals

PETALING JAYA: It is nothing serious. That was the assurance from Badminton Association of Malaysia performance committee chairman Datuk Seri Lee Chong Wei regarding professional men's singles shuttler Lee Zii Jia condition after he withdrew from next week's German Open due to injury.

Metro News

Gunners’ high-stakes derby

ARSENAL'S draw at Wolves in midweek has blown the title race well and truly wide open and added an even greater sense of expectation to tomorrow's North London derby.

Metro News

Perfect score in PL challenge

IN a sport defined by its capacity for chaos, where a single deflection or a late video assistant referee (VAR) intervention can rewrite the script, predicting exact Premier League scorelines remains one of football's most unforgiving pursuits.

Metro News

City look to keep pace as Newcastle bring real threat

MANCHESTER City's tilt at a seventh league title in nine seasons faces what should be a stern test when Newcastle United visit the Etihad today.

Hockey

Olympics-Ice hockey-US rout Slovakia to set up final showdown with Canada

MILAN, Feb 20 (Reuters) - The United States made ⁠light work of Slovakia with a 6-2 victory on Friday to set up the eagerly awaited Olympic men's ice hockey ⁠final with Canada, where the Americans will aim to win their first gold since 1980.

Other Sports

Olympics-Short track-Dutch underline dominance with men's 5,000m relay gold

MILAN, Feb 20 (Reuters) - The Netherlands won the men's 5,000 metres short ⁠track relay at the Olympics on Friday, with Jens van 't ‌Wout adding a team gold to his two individual titles on the last night of speed skating action.

Other Sports

Olympics-Bobsleigh-German-US rivalry warms the ice in Two-Woman

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 20 (Reuters) - The highly ⁠anticipated battle between the German and U.S. sleds in the Olympic Two-Woman bobsleigh competition did not disappoint on Friday as ⁠they filled the top five places at the halfway point, with defending champion Laura Nolte leading the way.

Hockey

Olympics-Ice hockey-Sidney Crosby on Canada's mind in semi-final win over Finland

MILAN, Feb 20 (Reuters) - ⁠Canada's captain Sidney Crosby did not dress for their 3–2 come-from-behind semi-final win ⁠over Finland at the Milano Cortina Olympics on Friday, but his absence was ‌still felt around the team.

Other Sports

Olympics-Freestyle-Messi fan Ferreira completes medal collection with halfpipe gold

LIVIGNO, Italy, ⁠Feb 20 (Reuters) - Alex Ferreira of the United States won gold in the freestyle skiing men's halfpipe ⁠final at Milano Cortina on Friday, completing his collection of Olympic medals.

Tennis

Tennis-Alcaraz defeats Rublev to reach Qatar Open final against Fils

Feb 20 (Reuters) - World number one Carlos ⁠Alcaraz continued his unbeaten run in 2026 as he beat defending champion Andrey Rublev 7-6(3) 6-4 ⁠on Friday to reach the Qatar Open final, reaching the 12th summit clash in his ‌last 13 tournaments.

Hockey

Olympics-Ice hockey-Finns left feeling empty after falling short against Canada in men's semis

MILAN, ⁠Feb 20 (Reuters) - Defending Olympic champions Finland came close to putting out tournament ⁠favourites Canada in the men's ice hockey semi-finals on Friday, but were ‌left with an empty feeling as they now go to battle for bronze rather than gold. 

Other Sports

Olympics-Curling-Sweden's Hasselborg wakes up with winning feeling, then delivers

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, ⁠Feb 20 (Reuters) - Sweden skip Anna Hasselborg said she woke up on ⁠Friday with an unshakeable belief her team would beat Canada in ‌the semi-finals of the women's curling competition at the Winter Olympics, and so they did.

Hockey

Olympics-Ice hockey-Canada fight back to beat Finland, reach men's gold-medal game

MILAN, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Nathan MacKinnon ⁠capped Canada's extraordinary fightback to beat defending champions Finland 3-2 in a men's Olympic ice hockey semi-final on ⁠Friday, firing in the kill shot with 35.2 seconds left on the clock in another nerve-searing game ‌in Milan.

Other Sports

Olympics-Biathlon-Trio battle it out for unique honour in Olympic race - not finishing last

ANTERSELVA, ⁠Italy, Feb 20 (Reuters) - There was a sprint finish ⁠with a difference in the men's 15km mass ‌start at the Milano Cortina Games on Friday as the final three competitors lined up on the final straight before tearing ​off in a race not ⁠for Olympic medals, but ⁠to avoid finishing last.

Hockey

Olympics-Ice hockey-Canada fight back to beat Finland, reach men's gold-medal game

MILAN, Feb 20 (Reuters) - ⁠Nathan MacKinnon capped Canada's extraordinary fightback to beat defending champions Finland 3-2 ⁠in a men's Olympic ice hockey semi-final on Friday, firing in ‌the kill shot with 35.2 seconds left on the clock in another nerve-searing game in Milan.

Other Sports

Olympics-Snowboard-Hard work and high standards behind Japan's record medal haul

MILAN, Feb 20 (Reuters) - ⁠Big air champion Kokomo Murase said hard work and hundreds of ⁠hours of training were behind Japan's record-breaking medal haul in snowboarding at ‌the Milano Cortina Olympics. 

Tennis

Tennis-Svitolina downs Gauff, Pegula fights back to beat Anisimova in Dubai semis

DUBAI, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Ukraine's Elina Svitolina kept ⁠up her recent winning run against Coco Gauff as she edged the American 6-4 6-7(13) 6-4 on ⁠Friday to set up a final showdown with Jessica Pegula at the Dubai Tennis Championships.

Other Sports

Olympics-Speed skating-Dutchwoman Rijpma-de Jong wins 1,500m gold

MILAN, ⁠Feb 20 (Reuters) - ‌Dutchwoman Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong won the women's ​1,500 metres ⁠at the ⁠Milano Cortina Games ⁠on Friday, ‌securing the ⁠first Olympic gold of ​her ‌career and her ⁠nation's ​third speed skating title ⁠of these Games.

Other Sports

Olympics-Biathlon-Norway's Laegreid signs off with fifth medal at Milano Cortina Games

ANTERSELVA, Italy, Feb ⁠20 (Reuters) - Norway's Sturla Holm Laegreid has had an eventful time at the Milano ⁠Cortina Games, going viral for a tearful confession of infidelity and then ‌picking up no fewer than five medals - three silver and two bronze - in a turbulent two weeks few would have predicted. 

Motorsport

Motor racing-Leclerc fastest for Ferrari on final day of F1 testing

Feb 20 (Reuters) - Formula One wrapped up ⁠pre-season testing in Bahrain on Friday with Charles Leclerc fastest for Ferrari and Racing Bulls rookie ⁠Arvid Lindblad pounding out a single-day record of 165 laps.