Rugby

Rugby-Bielle-Biarrey double drives dominant Bordeaux to Champions Cup triumph

BILBAO, Spain, May 23 (Reuters) - Bordeaux ⁠winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey scored two tries as the European Champions Cup holders produced ⁠a first-half blitz on their way to a 41-19 victory over Leinster ‌to claim back-to-back titles on Saturday.

Cycling

Cycling-Vingegaard in the pink after third Giro stage win

AOSTA, Italy, May ⁠23 (Reuters) - Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard took ⁠the Giro d'Italia leader's pink jersey ‌for the first time after completing a hat-trick of stage wins, as the race favourite soloed ​to the summit to take ⁠stage 14 on ⁠Saturday, proving too strong for his rivals ⁠in ‌the Alps.

Football

Soccer-Charlton promoted to WSL after shoot-out win over Leicester

May ⁠23 (Reuters) - Goalkeeper Sophie Whitehouse saved four ⁠of the five penalties she faced ‌as Charlton Athletic beat Leicester City 2-1 in a shoot-out on Saturday to win promotion to the top flight ​of the Women's Super League. 

Football

JDT lift sixth Malaysia Cup with 2-0 win over Kuching City

KUALA LUMPUR: Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) have lifted their sixth Malaysia Cup title after beating Kuching City 2-0 in the final at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Saturday (May 23).

Tennis

Tennis-Frenchman Fils out of Roland Garros due to hip pain

PARIS, May 23 (Reuters) - ⁠French hopes for a title at Roland Garros suffered a blow even ⁠before the year's second Grand Slam got underway as world number ‌19 Arthur Fils withdrew on Saturday with pain because of a hip issue.

Football

Soccer-Royal Armed Force count on home crowd for African Champions League turnaround

RABAT, May 23 (Reuters) - Morocco's ⁠Royal Armed Force are hoping the intimidating atmosphere created by their supporters will help them ⁠to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in Sunday's African Champions ‌League final.

Tennis

Tennis-Djokovic seeks record 25th Grand Slam as French Open begins

PARIS, May 23 (Reuters) - The first round of the French ⁠Open starts on Sunday, with Novak Djokovic beginning his hunt for a fourth crown and a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title when ⁠he takes on home hope Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, while world number three Alexander Zverev faces Benjamin Bonzi.

Badminton

Hopes of all-Malaysian final dashed as Arif-Roy King lose to Danish pair

PETALING JAYA: Men's doubles pair Wan Arif Wan Junaidi-Yap Roy King have lost to Denmark's Daniel Lundgaard-Mads Vestergaard in the Malaysian Masters semi-finals on Saturday (May 23).

Football

Soccer-DR Congo will not change World Cup preparations despite US warning

May 23 (Reuters) - The Democratic Republic of ⁠Congo have no plans to change their preparations for the 2026 World Cup despite a ⁠warning from the United States that the team must isolate for 21 days before ‌arriving in the country, a team official said on Saturday.

Football

Soccer-Juventus Women's director Braghin to leave at end of season

ROME, May 23 (Reuters) - ⁠Juventus Women's Football director Stefano Braghin ⁠will leave at the end of ‌the season after more than a decade at the Turin-based club, the Serie A side said on ​Saturday.

Rugby

Rugby-Hurricanes lock up top spot as Super Rugby playoff picture clears

SYDNEY, May 23 (Reuters) - The Wellington Hurricanes locked up ⁠top spot in the Super Rugby Pacific standings and number one seeding for the playoffs with a 45-28 ⁠victory over the Otago Highlanders in the penultimate round of the regular season on Saturday. 

Football

Drizzle can't take sizzle away from JDT and Kuching City fans on special night

KUALA LUMPUR: A slight drizzle greeted fans at the National Stadium on Saturday (May 23), but the rain did little to dampen the electrifying atmosphere ahead of the Malaysia Cup final.

Tennis

Tennis-Svitolina balances Rome form with calm approach in Paris

PARIS, May 23 (Reuters) - Elina ⁠Svitolina is among the contenders for the French Open title after her Rome triumph but ⁠the Ukrainian played down her chances, saying a calmer mindset and focus on her ‌performance outweighed thoughts of a long-awaited maiden Grand Slam title.

Football

Soccer-Letting Hart leave is Guardiola's biggest regret at City

May 23 (Reuters) - Pep Guardiola's ⁠biggest regret during his decade with Manchester City was ⁠allowing goalkeeper Joe Hart to leave, the departing manager ‌has said.

Football

Soccer-Auckland edge Sydney 1-0 to become New Zealand's first A-League champions

May 23 (Reuters) - Cameron Howieson struck in ⁠the second half with a touch of fortune as Auckland FC beat Sydney 1-0 in the Grand Final on ⁠Saturday and became the first New Zealand team to clinch an A-League championship.

Football

Soccer-Manchester United's Fernandes named Premier League player of the season

May 23 (Reuters) - Manchester United midfielder Bruno ⁠Fernandes was named the Premier League player of the season on Saturday after guiding his ⁠club to third place in the standings while equalling the league's assists record with a ‌game to spare.

Badminton

Sze Fei-Izzuddin end nine-year wait for Malaysian Masters final

PETALING JAYA: Men's doubles pair Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani ended their nine-year wait to return to the Malaysian Masters final after upsetting top seeds Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik on Saturday (May 23).

Other Sports

Australian rules-Pendlebury breaks AFL games record in 433rd appearance

May 23 (Reuters) - Dual premiership ⁠midfielder Scott Pendlebury became the Australian Football League (AFL) games ⁠record holder on Saturday after completing his 433rd match ‌for Collingwood, who defeated West Coast 92-82 in front of 90,028 people in Melbourne.

Cricket

Cricket-Kohli refuses handshake with Head after heated verbal spat during IPL clash

May 23 (Reuters) - Tempers ⁠flared between Virat Kohli and Travis Head in ⁠the Indian Premier League, as the former Indian ‌captain refused to shake hands with the Australian batter after Head's Sunrisers Hyderabad handed Kohli's Royal Challengers Bengaluru a crushing 55-run defeat.

Badminton

Top 30 breakthrough by Letshanaa, Ling Ching would be best gift for Jonassen

PETALING JAYA: Seeing women's singles shuttlers, K. Letshanaa and Wong Ling Ching break into the world top 30 by the end of the year would be the best gift he could ask for, says national singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen.